Moderator
Staff Member
No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us. 1 John 4:12
On this date in 2005, Hurricane Katrina made landfall in New Orleans with devastating, Category 4 fury. Sustained winds of over 145 miles per hour severed power lines; battered homes, churches, and businesses; and left around 150,000 seeking cover on higher ground. It also provided a life-changing opportunity for Christians along the Gulf Coast and across the nation to step in and help—and they did so admirably.
Local congregations and groups from various national denominations were present before the federal government was, pushing themselves to the limit to deliver a hot meal and ready ear. In the aftermath, the government recognized the unique capabilities that faith-based groups brought to the situation, including their knowledge of the community, the people, and their physical, emotional, and spiritual needs.
Christians have historically been at the forefront of providing hospitals, orphanages, shelters, schools, and relief efforts—and the impact goes beyond the immediate help offered. People who wouldn’t give church a second thought are impressed that so much gets done in Jesus’ name. It starts when people like you put their hand up and step forward. As one clergyman put it, “What our brothers and sisters in Louisiana and Alabama and Mississippi are suffering today is our suffering, too.”
On this date in 2005, Hurricane Katrina made landfall in New Orleans with devastating, Category 4 fury. Sustained winds of over 145 miles per hour severed power lines; battered homes, churches, and businesses; and left around 150,000 seeking cover on higher ground. It also provided a life-changing opportunity for Christians along the Gulf Coast and across the nation to step in and help—and they did so admirably.
Local congregations and groups from various national denominations were present before the federal government was, pushing themselves to the limit to deliver a hot meal and ready ear. In the aftermath, the government recognized the unique capabilities that faith-based groups brought to the situation, including their knowledge of the community, the people, and their physical, emotional, and spiritual needs.
Christians have historically been at the forefront of providing hospitals, orphanages, shelters, schools, and relief efforts—and the impact goes beyond the immediate help offered. People who wouldn’t give church a second thought are impressed that so much gets done in Jesus’ name. It starts when people like you put their hand up and step forward. As one clergyman put it, “What our brothers and sisters in Louisiana and Alabama and Mississippi are suffering today is our suffering, too.”