Monday, Labor Day, had dawned like many holiday Mondays - a chance to sleep
in just a bit. Our whole family was "in transition" from summer to
fall schedules. Monday held the promise of last minute conversations with our
10th grade son, Graham, as he put the final touches on three summer writing assignments
for his English class on Tuesday at Sandpoint High School. The remainder of the
day was to be unstructured taking full advantage of a beautiful late summer day
and maybe to do a little planning for our first ever campout on Lunch Peak scheduled
for this weekend.
The phone message which had come during the early morning hours was insistent, "Gary,
how fast can you get your body to Mississippi to help with disaster assistance?" The
caller, an angel I know, came from the coordinator of Presbyterian Disaster Assistance
at the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) national offices in Kentucky.
The logic was straightforward. With 28 years in the Air Force and dozens of
crises, deployments, and exercises under my belt, could I quickly join a team
forming on the Gulf Coast. The mission of this initial cadre is to establish
a base camp and find locations for 14 other base camps to receive Presbyterian
volunteer teams from across the States who eagerly want to assist storm victims
with debris cleanup and repair of homes and churches. Our ecumenical partner
in this faith community response is Norwegian Church Aid, a Christian organization
skilled in disaster assistance around the world. Whether we site on state land,
church property, or a farmer's field, the sooner we get the first base camp up
and running, the sooner the volunteers can be about their calling to relieve
some of the human suffering.
I admit to being anxious. But, I also know that I am a part of a national,
no a global response, to Katrina. Whether one puts a dollar in Sunday's offering
plate, supports a local fundraiser somewhere in Bonner County, donates online,
or deploys to the Gulf Coast, we each in our way are responding to a call to
serve those in great need.
In the next two weeks, I hope to share impressions, hopes, and frustrations
as one North Idaho citizen now on the Gulf Coast. I ask for your prayers for
those here struggling to rebuild their lives and for the thousands of folks who
seek to help. |
