New Orleans In Peril

If you are reading this blog, it is likely you are trying to make sense of the devastation that has struck New Orleans and the many small cities and towns along the Gulf coasts of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama.

You, like me, have probably been glued to the television watching the bad news roll in.

You may be wondering why God "let" this happen.

In future blogs I will share my opinions on why Hurricane Katrina struck as she did. I believe there are a multitude of underlying causes that set us up for such a catastrophe. There is more than one dimension to this calamity and it is vital that we explore them all.

But not yet. That discussion can and must wait.

Right now what is important is that we have thousands of people stranded, without food or water and, with the water still rising in New Orleans, many may still be in danger of drowning.

President Bush needs to take command of the situation immediately and deploy all available troops to the area.

His office, and his office alone should coordinate the repair of the levees that must be stopped before New Orleans can be drained. In short, President Bush's number one priority should be, literally, bailing out New Orleans.

It is time for him to appear on television and give this nation guidance as to what we can do to help our brethren in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama.

It is time for him to reassure the millions of inhabitants of our Gulf coast states - who have no money, homes or jobs to return to - that the Federal government will provide a works program, similar to the WPA during the Great Depression, that will employ all these unemployed in rebuilding what has been lost.

And it would be wise of him to call on all Americans to carpool and conserve gas as much as possible.

God can only do for us what He can do through us.

The people of New Orleans are our people. And they are in peril. It is up to each of us to be the voice and hand of God today.

Call upon President Bush and urge him to provide the compassionate and productive leadership we, as a nation, so desperately need today.

Prayers are vital, but they are not enough. We need to pull together, stand up and take action on behalf of our fellow Americans who are in such desperate circumstances.

Contact President Bush today at (202) 456-1111 or e-mail him at comments@whitehouse.gov and urge him to decisive action. If you prefer to write to him, do so care of:

The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500

And even if you are only able to give five dollars, please donate to the American Red Cross. Your contribution will make the difference between hope and despair.

Let us pray:

Almighty God, I know this terror has occurred for a reason. Open me to revelation of what has brought about such suffering.

If there is a lesson here, please Lord, I am open to learning it so none of my countrymen or I need ever go through anything like this again.

Thank you for my life and the ability to make a real difference in alleviating suffering.

Amen.

Let no one seek his own, but each one the other's well-being.
1 Corinthians 10:24

And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it.
1 Corinthians 12:26