As I continue to reflect on my experience in Waveland MS, this single picture continues to catch my eye every time I look at it. And it takes me back to how I felt when I saw the things that I saw and heard the stories I heard. In a second, it transports me back to Mississippi and refreshes my mind in that I remember that these people need our prayers, and our help.
The picture isn’t pretty or profound or in any way shape or form is it happy. It just speaks volumes to me about the entire area. It reminds me of the awesome power of nature, which ripped the lush green branches and trunks of these trees apart, and left the brown bare mess that you see here. It reminds me of the people in that they are still standing, but they are bare, and barren, and my heart breaks for them. I keep thinking of how I'd like to sponsor a child in a country far away, and how I’d like to serve abroad someday, but then I see this picture and it reminds me that there are hurting & lost and poor right here under our noses in plain sight.
I remember and pray for forgiveness as I do remember how I felt when Katrina hit New Orleans, thinking in a prideful / judgmental way that this was God's punishment for the area, like I was some self-righteous Pharisee. Woe to me! Forgive me lord, for thinking such nonsense. One of the ways God changed me during this trip was just that, he allowed me to see & hear & touch the destruction that I had seen only parts of on TV, or in the limited Media coverage. But more than that, he allowed my heart to be transformed, as my mind was renewed as I humbled myself and served the very people I had cursed a few years earlier. I'm ashamed that I ever thought such things, and I pray that I would be forgiven, and more than that I pray that the People of Waveland / Bay St. Louis would be healed and lifted up by the church in all of this, may God be glorified by the saints who volunteer to help this community. In Jesus name.
Funny thing...this "serving" because we usually end up getting "served"... I love the way God works...
4 comments:
Hi Brad
You touched on an interesting point when you said: "I keep thinking of how I'd like to sponsor a child in a country far away, and how I’d like to serve abroad someday, but then I see this picture and it reminds me that there are hurting & lost and poor right here under our noses in plain sight."
I've been thinking about this as I read Marcia's blog on Providence Ministries. The work they are doing in Haiti moves me and calls out to me and yet there is so much need in my own country not 10km from my front door.
I've come to the conclusion that there isn't a right answer, at least not for me. There are just people in need who we are either going to serve or not. We, and they, may be better off if we make a particular choice between here or there, but no one is better off if we do nothing.
So I honour you for doing something.
Thank you Brother :) it means a lot. Often times I think of the things I saw in Mississippi, and though they may not be as bad physically as Haiti or Africa the emotional and relational destruction blew me away. Seeing all these lives uprooted, torn-apart, devastated it breaks my heart and breaks me to know that there's people a day's drive away hurting so badly. Thanks again for taking the time to read this! :) blessings
Brad
Brad, this reminds me of a concern that Christianne had about wanting to minister to people's hearts when there are many who need help just physically making it through the day.
I suspect that even if there are other people who are worse off in Africa or Haiti, this doesn't diminish the needs of others who may be in a slightly better position or the validity of our efforts to help them.
I know I'm kinda repeating myself. Maybe I'm writing this more for me than for you.
Maybe it is... :) I'll leave that to the Lord to put on your heart.
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