Colonel's Blog - Hurricane Katrina

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Posted by: rjones	9/10/2005
The devastation that has recently hit our Southern Coast has shocked us all. I am a native of Louisianna, and have extended family all over the state, so it is very likely that some of my own family was caught up in this disaster. SEMSAR contacted the Office of the Louisianna Governor early on in the crisis, as well as the Missouri SEMA office, to offer our assistance. We received a polite thank you and a promise to call us if needed. Meanwhile, the media is attacking FEMA, the president, Homeland Security, and anyone else they can find about the poor response to the crisis. Hello? FEMA is not a first responder agency. The Federal government is not responsible for initial response. They are responsible to assist operations already in place. Disaster response is the Congressionally mandated responsiblity of the American Red Cross, as well as numerous other Non-governmental entities throughout the United States. Disaster response is also the responsibility of local government, which is why we have LEPC regions, disaster plans, and federal and state funding to manage those plans. Please take a look at he New Orleans Disaster Management Plan (http://www.cityofno.com/portal.aspx?portal=46&tabid=26) and see if you can tell where the plan was implemented or followed. The Mayor of New Orleans, Ray Nagin, has blasted the President and FEMA, for failing to provide greyhound buses to evacuate residents, yet the New Orleans Disaster plan states that between public and private transportation in New Orleans, there are over 500 buses available for evacuation. Where are they? Obviously underwater. Why? The disaster plan was not followed. Obviously, the scope of the disaster overwhelmed local resources, and nobody was prepared for what happened, but let's not turn a horrible tragedy into a blame game and and political sideshow. If there is anything more sickening than seeing overwhelming tragedy being turned into racism, bigotry, and political spin-doctoring, I am at a loss as to what it is. Where should the ultimate responsiblity lie for response to this crisis? Who is ultimately responsible for providing relief and comfort? Ultimately, it is the responsiblity of the Church. It is for humanitarian reasons that the Church is not taxed in the United States. It is so that the Church can offer comfort and succor to those in need. When a disaster of this magnitude hit's our shores, it is the Church that should be emptying it's coffers and it's members mobilizing. Government has replaced God in the lives of most Americans. Why? Because the church has failed it's mission to provide for the poor (thus we have welfare). We have failed to feed the hungry (thus we have food stamps). We have failed to preach sexual purity (thus condoms in schools). We have failed to provide Godly counsel (thus social services). We have failed because our personal desires have been more important than God's. Salvation does not come from the Government. Do not blame the government for the poor response to Hurricane Katrina. Blame the Church. We should have been there first. Instead, most of us sat on our couches, watched the TV with morbid fascination, and wondered why the "Government" was not saving the day.

Comments (1)

Re: Hurricane Katrina

By bjones on 9/13/2005

I agree salvation does not and cannot come from government, only from Christ. And that help in this disaster is the primary responsibility of the church and local agencies, not the federal government (it's easy for people to sit around and criticize the government instead of actually doing something themselves). But the primary responsibility for all of us right now in this disaster is the work of prayer...committed time daily for this people's provision...for them to get jobs, homes, food. For us to pray for the children who are so frightened about this, living in a new place, going to a new school, not having their familiar surroundings. To pray for wisdom for the parents and for God's wisdom for the relief workers and govnt agencies involved in this. As pastor Lawrence said on Sunday, we need to sow into this (prayers, money, any help we can give physically) because we never know if one day we're going to have a disaster of our own. Even if we only have $5 to give, we can sow that. We may not be able to fly down to LA at this moment to help in person. But there are people coming into MO and KS now, who we possibly can help through donations of food, clothing, etc., through the potential opportunity for medical assessments at Bates, and maybe even volunteering at shelters where the refugees are coming. This is a great time, as my friend Cindy says, for the Church to be Jesus' hands and feet.....reaching out, not retreating to our comfortable homes and saying "This is so terrible." Jesus said, "You see, the kingdom of God is within you." And if His kingdom is within us, then we have the ability to impact everyone and everything around us.....in real and tangible ways.