Chaplains & Disaster Relief

"Don't you have a saying, 'It's still four months until harvest?  I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields!  They are ripe for harvest."  (John 4:35)

If there is anything that will cause people to be open and see their need for God, it is disaster!  

I had the privilege and opportunity to serve with 14 other Chaplains and around 200 Samaritan's Purse Volunteers down in Baton Rouge, LA where prolonged rain fall resulted in catastrophic flooding that submerged thousands of houses and businesses, and caused 13 deaths.  The flood has been called the worst US natural disaster since Hurricane Sandy in 2012. 

As Chaplains, we were given the responsibility of bringing spiritual first aid to the community, and being available to the SP Volunteers who come from all over the country to be placed on teams that help the homeowners clear out, mud out and gut their homes; spray for mold and bring them to the place where they are ready to rebuild.  They work extremely hard and give all they have to helping and ministering to those that have lost everything.  This is exhausting for them, not just physically, but emotionally.  Many times, they are the first ones to come and hear the stories of the homeowners who were devastated by the flood, and they go from one house to another, hearing and ministering and working.  As of last week, there were still 1400 open Work Orders that needed to be addressed and people showing up or calling every day needing help.

Besides going out for home visits and doing follow-up, we found that just wearing the shirt that says "Chaplain" makes us a magnet, and gives us permission to offer prayer support to the community.  It didn't matter if you were visiting a home, in the Walmart, or stopping somewhere for a "Po-Boy" for lunch in between appointments - ministry was everywhere!  The people are hurting.  


We were told that there were over 80 decisions for Christ just in the last 2 weeks.  There were many that re-dedicated their lives to the Lord, and countless prayers for any and all personal needs and situations. Everyone's flood story is unique and the needs are GREAT!  And it is far from over!  (It is beyond my comprehension to think of having everything I own and worked hard for including the walls and appliances in my house; all the pictures and personal affects, etc. to be out at the curb as rubbish!)

We met some very precious people.  Many who just needed a listening ear, a hug, some words of encouragement or directions on how to get on the list for a Work Order.  It was an honor being able to serve them in this way.

 

Church, this is for you:  Those who volunteer for disaster relief may have a hand up on what it might look like in the end times, but I see God preparing His whole church for a day when we will all need to minister in this way!

Extending the love of God – how far do you take it?

(I wanted to pen my experience from the other day because there seems to be much that can be learned by it.)

I parked about a block away from the restaurant I was to meet my friends at in Birmingham.  As I was walking, I spotted a black woman sitting in front of the building by the bus stop.  (I wondered if she just got off work and was going home).  I decided immediately that I wanted to be friendly and say “hi”.  (Was this God prompting me?  I don’t know, but I don’t usually tell myself seconds in advance that I am going to purposely do something like that – I just do it!).  Well, it immediately turned into more than just a friendly ‘hello’.  She wasted no time with her response of ‘did I know when the bus was coming?’ and that she needed to get somewhere.  She also mentioned that she did not have the money for the transfer she would need.  (Mental note taken).  Then, the bombshell!  She told me that she just received the worst news anyone could want to hear (Uh-oh! brace yourself Liz!).  She said she just found out that her daughter was murdered by her boyfriend because she wouldn’t give him drug money! And the tears started to well up.  (Brief thought – scam? – maybe – but keep listening!)  I told her how sorry I was to hear that and immediately asked her if I could pray for her.  She told me to sit down and proceeded to tell me she might get some financial help from a church in Grosse Pointe. (Mental note #2).  No, it didn’t end there.  She opened her phone and told me to listen to the voicemail message she received from someone who introduced themselves as the manager of the apartment building where her daughter lived, telling her of the bad news. Once again, I told her how sorry I was to hear of her loss and then she let me pray for her.  Right after that, her phone rang again and it sounded like it might have been the church she was waiting to hear from.  At the same time, I saw the bus coming and got up to flag it down.  I stepped on the bus to ask what the cost of the fare and transfer was while Denise was hanging up and trying to tell me the church couldn’t help and ‘never mind’.  The driver told me the transfer was $2.50 and the first bills out pulled out of my wallet added to $4.00 so I said “this should cover it” and Denise left on the bus.

What just happened there?  This long story seemed to happen in just a split second! No time to think or analyze along the way.

Hindsight analysis:  So what did happen here?  Was this God using me to speak into someone’s life and to help someone in need?  Was this a scam? (If so, it was a pretty good one and well thought out – including the voicemail from the apartment manager!).  Did she really even want to get on the bus or did she just go along once I gave the money?  Does it matter?

I say, “no”.  It doesn’t matter.  Whatever the reason this all happened,  I learned a long time ago that when you are sincere and are genuinely trying to bless someone in the name of the Lord – you are doing it “as unto the Lord”.  It doesn’t matter the motive of the person or even the outcome of the situation. 

The sad thing is that we (and we all do it!) can even have the thoughts that someone might be scamming us!  Yes, it happens every day and yes, we need to use wisdom. But, I would never want to let that keep me from reaching out to people!  What is money anyway but a tool we can use to share God’s love?! And the prayers?  Well, I don’t know where the words came from, but if there was a scam going on, she will never forget that prayer!

Conclusion:  So, should I have purposed to be friendly?  Absolutely!  Would I do it again?  In a heartbeat! To God be the glory!!!!