by Sandra Murray, SPDR Liaison
Many years ago, I was in a church that was devastated by Hurricane Andrew in 1992. The one thing I remember was an outpouring of support from all over the country. It meant so much to me and my congregation to know that people were concerned about what was happening to us as a church and community. We had volunteers who joined us in repairing the homes of low-income families in the community, who joined us for worship and fellowship. But maybe the best gift that people gave us was taking time to get to know us as individuals. Some of our members left and never came back. Some of our members struggled with nightmares and would become very fearful whenever the wind picked up. Some of our members reached out to help others in the community even though they were trying to fix up their own homes. There was a wonderful sense of caring about others. When our guests took the time to understand what we were going through, it meant so much. We felt like people were seeing us. Â
One of the most valuable gifts we can offer to individuals recovering from a disaster is to attentively listen to their stories. Yes, come and volunteer, but also take time to listen to and get to know the people you are helping.Â
As congregations, you can help in many ways such as preparing disaster kits and hygiene kits, volunteering to help with disaster recovery, and with your financial gifts. As a congregation, you can also prepare your church for a disaster by having a plan: What would you do if a disaster hit your community? Who would you contact? Your Presbytery and the Synod are ready to help your church to prepare for disasters. Talk with the members of your Presbytery’s disaster preparedness team for ideas and help in making your own church plan.Â
As we enter the season of Lent, spend time reflecting on what you can do to lessen the burdens of those struggling with disasters. A disaster can be a tornado, a hurricane, a flood, but it can also be a fire, an active shooter event, an accident. Anyone of these can be devastating for those affected. Your Presbytery disaster preparedness teams and the Synod are ready to help you prepare a disaster plan for your church, to help provide training, and to provide opportunities to become a Disaster Recovery Volunteer.Â
Rev. Sandra Murray is one of SPDR's Presbytery Liaisons. SPDR Liaisons meet regularly to discuss and plan how to serve congregations and communities impacted by crises and catastrophic events.Â