I read a National Geographic article detailing this hypothetical stuation just a few weeks ago:
Gone With the Water.
A quote from the article:
"The Federal Emergency Management Agency lists a hurricane strike on New Orleans as one of the most dire threats to the nation, up there with a large earthquake in California or a terrorist attack on New York City. Even the Red Cross no longer opens hurricane shelters in the city, claiming the risk to its workers is too great."
I'm not a big one for intercessory prayer--I don't pray in the hope of divine intervention against nature, but I do pray for the peace of mind, hope, strength, and courage that residents of Louisiana are going to need, and for a response of love and generosity from the rest of us.
9 comments:
Thank you, Amanda, for thinking of New Orleans and the homes that people have lost and the daily lives that people will struggle long to resume.
AMEN!!
I've posted some links to blogs that have updates, personal and otherwise, about what is going on. Pretty devastating, pretty scary.
Blessings,
Liz, The Good Raised Up
Hi Amanda: Paul Busby sent this on...
Friends, the Yearly Meeting staff wants to let you know that the American
Friends Service Committee is currently accepting donations to assist those
affected by Hurricane Katrina. You can make a gift to AFSC's Crisis Fund by
sending a check to AFSC, 1501 Cherry St., Philadelphia PA 19102 or using
the secure donation form at http://www.afsc.org/.
I must say, I am perplexed at the lack of organized emergency response from Quaker meetings and committees in New York. This is a disaster to which we can drive. We are very quick to point out the lack of central direction from the President, and I agree, it is a HUGE vaccum. But, I am staggered by the lack of responce from the Quaker community in New York. I think we need to do our bit in a big way, before we hold another to the light. Is there any organized responce in Cambridge?
In wonder
lor
I think this might be a good week to reconsider your position on intercessory prayer.
I have noticed Quakers are much quicker in general to contribute towards addressing the so-called causes of a crisis than addressing immediate crises (dig wells -- don't send water) and also quicker to send to distant parts than to local emergencies (feed the starving in Somalia - not the homeless guy who sleeps in the park).
Just an observation.
But why not dig wells AND send water? Feed Somalians and people in your neighborhood? Why is this an either/or?
I don't really buy it, if you know what I mean.
It is not so much an either or... rather, it may be the slowness of our process - and a variety of other reasons, but I have begun to speak with Friends on committees of guidence, of the need to have some emergency responce modles, as there are a few mass casuality shoes which have not yet fallen, for example, what will we do when the San Andreas Fault goes, tommorow or in twenty years? The time to figure out how to act is now, not at the time ( as Mr. Bush may be finding to be the case). I would comend to Friends the fact that in 1927 (?) the great Missisppi flood, much suffering was avoided by the quick and decisive action of a Quaker named Herbert Hoover.
Cheers all
Smile in the face of hard times
lor
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