Scary Helplessness
I’ve been sitting here for an hour trying to find words about the devastation in Louisiana. I’ve taken this long to write about it because I’ve selfishly been wanting to keep it out of my mind. I’m at the point where I can’t ignore it anymore and I still can’t find the words. There’s no real way to pay tribute to what our fellow Americans are going through; this very minute, some of them are fighting for their lives.
All I can say is I thank God for our safety. I feel guilty and selfish thinking of my safety and my family first. What if this was happening to us? It scares me beyond belief.
I cry out to God for the safety and protection of those trapped without food, water, or medical care, who are fearing for their very lives and safety. I wish I could send money, I wish I could take a family into my home and make them feel safe, I wish I could be there to help with…something I think that perhaps the scariest part is there are people who need help so badly and they’re not getting it. I think, in general, we put too much faith in our governments ability to SAVE us, and to find out in such a terrible way that the government isn’t coming through fast enough, is heart wrenching.
Many of us are left with only the ability to hope and pray and cry. And sitting in my air conditioned home with food in the fridge and running water – my family is safe – it doesn’t seem like near enough.
Category: ouch 4 comments »
September 2nd, 2005 at 9:08 am
The scary part is that Louisiana’s National Guard is in Iraq, so they don’t even have them to help. I think that this disaster can and should be used by God’s church to take our place in helping the helpless. A local friend’s father is driving a semi loaded with supplies like clothes and bedding toiletries and such, so I think that is a good way to put my feeling of helplessness into the action of helping.
September 2nd, 2005 at 9:12 am
I’m just praying that Elizabeth and her family are doing okay.
This whole thing is just so so sad.
September 2nd, 2005 at 11:08 am
I feel the same way you do Allie. Guilty and fearful at the same time. I want to do something to help too, and had definitely thought about taking a family in if it were possible. I wonder if our local churches could actually organize something like that? I think these people need a lot more than just money, they need some sort of semblance of life, safety and normalness…
September 2nd, 2005 at 11:36 am
ya, ouch.