Flipping Pancakes

Dear Diary,

Today, the following words are not my words, but those shared with me in the daily message ….

"All Things to All People – Life for the people of the Gulf Coast has changed forever.  Right now, there is a crisis and we need to respond.  Tomorrow, the problems will not be gone, we need to respond.  At Thanksgiving and Christmas the problems will still be  present, and we need to respond.  We can not be all things to all people, but we can be part of the healing.   Let us strengthen ourselves and those we seek to aid with prayer.  All help begins with prayer."

As I type this, I realize I might be subjecting this to all sorts of comments that might  be interperted as  negative (with regard to prayer).  So be it. I realize that people have different opinions about the power of prayer.  I also realize that prayer alone will not get the "jobs" done.  But the request for prayer is to give people strength to deal with the jobs that need to be done.

It is difficult to grasp the reality of the disaster.  The media shows some heartwrenching pictures. But the reality behind the scenes is much more intense…and that reality is happening in many towns all around the Gulf Coast. Close to my home, evacuees from New Orleans made the bus trip from "dome to dome".  A few blocks from where I sit typing this, is a group of 100 who have be given shelter in another church.  People in town are making donations to the local food pantry, to the church where these refugees are staying, to the schools where some of these children are now enrolled with all admissions requirements waived.  There are some refugees staying with family in the area.  And my area is just one small area among so many others.

One of the saddest stories reported locally was about a couple from New Orleans, the parents of a 9 day old baby, who was still in the hospital who had been evacuated during the crisis.  I can’t even imagine how or why the parents weren’t at the hospital when this happened but perhaps they were taking care of business in securing their home and preparing for travel.  They were separated from their baby and didn’t know where the baby was taken.  The couple made it to Houston, began searching via internet and phone calls, and even through the local  media story.  The rejoicing started last night when they got word that the baby was in a hospital in Ft. Worth. Rejoicing only momentarily as they prepared once again for a trip…this time to be reunited with their darling baby.

It’s hard to know what to do. Distance makes it almost impossible for some to do anything, other than donate money.  And of course that is definitey needed.

For myself, I plan to go help out at the local Red Cross this afternoon to answer the phone.  Next Tuesday, I hope to take part in training provided by the RC to help with disaster teams. Bright and early Monday morning, I will be part of a group of 7 or 9 folks from my church that will be going over to the church a couple of blocks from here to prepare breakfast .  They’ve been eating alot of doughnuts and juice for breakfast this past week.  Our planned menu includes fresh fruit, pan sausage and pancakes.

Yeah, bright and early on Labor Day,, I’ll be ….

…flipping pancakes.

~Susie