Two weeks ago group of youth pastors gathered together and headed to Haiti. I don't know any of the youth pastors personally, I've been in the same room with some of them at Youth Workers Conventions, but I know a few of them through their blogs. As I read through their blog entries and prayed for their journey, I was reminded of my own experience in Mississippi that first trip.
I remember arriving at the New Orleans airport and the overwhelming feeling of emptiness that washed over me there. It was so still. I remember driving into Pearlington the first time and wondering what I was getting my group into. There were no streetlights, no signs of life anywhere. That first day it was all a little surreal, we went to church and were greeted with hugs and appreciation that overwhelmed us. As the week progressed we kept hearing more stories, seeing more devastation and when the week was done our hearts were broken. There was no questioning if we were going back, the question was when.
Reading about the experiences of these youth pastors, as well as Trinity's experience in Haiti, I've been reminded that God calls us to the places that God wants us to go. For me, the place isn't Haiti (right now) but Mississippi, for some it may be both, for others it's somewhere completely different. Helping people recover their devastated lives isn't a competition, it's an act of mercy, grace and compassion. Bringing a moment of hope into someones heart is what is important.
My experience leads me to believe that God calls us to the place where we are going to be the most affected and effective. It doesn't matter where that is, close to home or far away, the important thing is that we listen to what God wants from us and that we follow God wherever God is leading.
The story of one little church's efforts to bring hope and healing to a small town after Hurricane Katrina
Showing posts with label supporting others. Show all posts
Showing posts with label supporting others. Show all posts
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Haiti Relief
There is a group from Mountains to Mississippi (the organization we work with in Pearlington) that is co-ordinating efforts to help with the relief in Haiti. The following is a message I received from one of the coordinators. If you are willing to help them, please go to this website: avmfaspen.org and click on the give a gift now button. Make sure to specify for Mountains to Mississippi--Haiti Relief.
Hello to All,
First, thank you all for sending your hearts, love and help to Mississippi when we were so desperately in need of support mentally, physically and financially. In case some of you do not know, Tom Dalesandri (Mountains to Miss. ) from the Carbondale Firefighters have stayed in touch with Pearlington and now the Stennis Rotarians will turn over a new Mobile Medical Clinic (MMC) January 22, 2010 for hurricane disaster response and community health clinics. Tom and I feel that P'Town is still in recovery mode and we are willing with our group of Katrina doctors (that most of you met) are willing to respond, if the community needs it.
However, the disaster in Haiti is so horrific; we have asked if we could take the MMC to Haiti or at least go in response to the medical need. At this time, we are pulling together a response team and ask you to call out to your community for help again mentally, physically, and financially.
Mountains to Mississippi is the 501C3 that the money will go to and Tom is organizing the work teams. I am helping coordinate the medical teams. We will need doctors, nurses, EMT's, meds, and money initially for our first team. After we go and assess, we will return and update all.
Dr. Bill Gossman is heading there tomorrow. He will assess and keep us posted. Please keep him in your prayers. There are thousands of lives lost and they need medical help desperately! There will lots of amputations because of lack of medical care and loss of blood.
Paula Buhr, RN
Hello to All,
First, thank you all for sending your hearts, love and help to Mississippi when we were so desperately in need of support mentally, physically and financially. In case some of you do not know, Tom Dalesandri (Mountains to Miss. ) from the Carbondale Firefighters have stayed in touch with Pearlington and now the Stennis Rotarians will turn over a new Mobile Medical Clinic (MMC) January 22, 2010 for hurricane disaster response and community health clinics. Tom and I feel that P'Town is still in recovery mode and we are willing with our group of Katrina doctors (that most of you met) are willing to respond, if the community needs it.
However, the disaster in Haiti is so horrific; we have asked if we could take the MMC to Haiti or at least go in response to the medical need. At this time, we are pulling together a response team and ask you to call out to your community for help again mentally, physically, and financially.
Mountains to Mississippi is the 501C3 that the money will go to and Tom is organizing the work teams. I am helping coordinate the medical teams. We will need doctors, nurses, EMT's, meds, and money initially for our first team. After we go and assess, we will return and update all.
Dr. Bill Gossman is heading there tomorrow. He will assess and keep us posted. Please keep him in your prayers. There are thousands of lives lost and they need medical help desperately! There will lots of amputations because of lack of medical care and loss of blood.
Paula Buhr, RN
Monday, March 23, 2009
Opportunity to support others
Today's paper had a story about two local high schools going to New Orleans, the same time that our group is going to be in Pearlington. They need to raise $7000 before their trip and could use a little help. If you are interested in reading about them and helping them out click here. I'm sending in my donation tomorrow!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)