Encouragement

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She came like a thief in the night; the Gulf Coast of America in her sight; innocent people to face the plight. She paraded with wanton bravado, raiding, damaging, rampaging and uprooting with such impunity and ferocity.

Louisana, Mississippi and Albama bore the brunt of the battering; saw the eye and the brutal claws of the evil storm, Katrina, that will go down in history as the worst natural disaster America has seen. New Orleans became the City Under Water, the City of the Dead over night. Houses which were not destroyed on the spot were uprooted and relocated in shambles. The Super Dome was sprawling with a sea of the heads of fortunately and yet unfortunately displaced people. Fortunate because they had escaped the death trap of Katrina, and unfortunate because of the appalling conditions they had to suffer and what more, families were torn apart- children looking their parent and parents looking for their loved ones. Some families were completely wiped out.

America reeled under Katrina. There was out cry of ineptitude at the high echelons of Government. The President, George Bush, was criticized for his inability to give good leadership at a time of such a grave national crisis. The slow pace of response was seen in the light of a racial divide, given that most of the citizens of the displaced states – especially New Orleans, were African Americans. Others wanted to make political capital out of it. There was a search for scape goats. The blame game was being played. Quickly the Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice was despatched to limit the damage to the President who was already suffering from one of the lowest opinion poll popularity ratings.

Subsequently, Bush himself expressed regret at the slow pace of the response and agreed to an enquiry into what went wrong. Promises were made, aid package agreed and efforts made to drain the cities under water and bury the dead floating about. Those who are still in the cities severely damaged and unfit to live in, are to be forcibly removed There are a lot of efforts made to reassure the people that they are not abandoned- including visits by President Bush, the Vice President, Dick Cheney.

The financial markets are in jitters, trembling at the possibility of a global energy crisis, given that most of the oil rigs in that region are out of action, including refineries. Already the price of petrol has hit the $70 mark and still rising.

Without a doubt, the effects of Katrina will be with us for a long, long time.

What are the Legacies and Lessons from Katrina?

Katrina was overwhelming and America was caught, napping, unprepared. Plans are now being made to fortify the cities, raising the flood barriers to avoid a repeat of such calamity in such a proportion as we have just seen.

Whereas it is commendable to raise the defences of the states under threat (and this would run into billions of dollars), we would have failed as a people if we ignore the important lessons that Katrina has left us.

Who would have believed that America, the only super power in the world today, spending billions in the war in Iraq and Afghanistan, promoting democracy and reducing the breeding ground of terrorists, would suddenly be brought to her knees by a hurricane in a twinkling of an eye?
Who would have thought that the New Orleans, the City that never slept, with the famous, the Big Easy, could be reduced to rubbles over night, drowning, with little hope of rising again? Who would have imagined a forth night ago that in the streets of America we would have scenes typical of very poor third-world countries?

I was told that the real thing in life is to have a real estate. A house is regarded as a safe investment and haven- one of the jewels in a man's finacial crown. And on the surface it, it sounded and rang true. But overnight in these Gulf Coasts Real Estates became unreal as houses were uprooted and relocated or totally destroyed. ‘It cannot happen’, a real estate magnate would have boasted.

The true reality and legacy is that no matter how wealthy you are; no matter how powerful you are, you cannot be secure in yourself or in what you have. Our security cannot be in the things we possess. True security only comes in the Lord . and whereas Christians are not immune from storms, they can have calm in the midst of the storms of life, be it Katriana, Andrew or what have you? Yes, even Christian may have lost their lives in the devastation. But they are now in a better place. It is sad to lose them and in such a manner. But absent in the body, present with the Lord. We shall meet again in heaven where there shall be no more sorrow, no more parting and no more pain.

It is however important for those who have survived to have a sober reflection, thank God for His sparing their lives and turn to Him as to have their security in Him. That is the real security for eternity.

No matter how prepared we are, there will always be some mishaps that overwhelm us. And such calamity could work for our good if it turns our eyes from ourselves to our Maker and we are saved from the second death.

This is not a time to point the finger at God but a time to run to the cross and commit our lives to Him and have His peace which transcends all understanding. The Devil come to steal, kill and destroy , Jesus cam to give us life and life in it's fullness. (John 10:10)However God can use storms such as Katrina to reconcile many to Himself. My prayer is: so be it. For those who knew Him in a personal way but have fallen away, this is a wake up call to come back home like the prodigal son.

The lesson for oil magnates, real estate millionaires or aspiring millionaires is that you can never tell with uncertain riches. Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you. ‘ what shall it profit man if he gains the whole world but loses his soul.?’

The lesson to America is that no matter how powerful and prosperous you are, you can still be vulnerable and brought to your knees as any individual who may be very rich and powerful. Another lesson is that we live in an interdependent world and we need each other. In international relations therefore, there is the undoubted need for consensus, mutuality, unity, humility, selflessness- give and take. No one can go it alone.

Isn’t it wonderful to hear that over 100 countries and at least 11 organisations have offered support to America, in her dark hour. It is an opportunity for those who are not affected to show the milk of human kindness in reaching out in prayer, financial or practical support to those now in dire need.

Katrina also leaves a legacy that Africa does not have a monopoly on destitution and natural disasters. It can happen any where any time and to any one. The question is, assuming you survive the storm, would you have anything worth living for?

God has given man an indomitable spirit to bounce back after such catastrophes like the recent successful mission to Mars in spite of the earlier horrific accident of Challenger going up in smoke in January 1986, leaving all her 7 crew dead. However it would be unfortunate if our achievements becloud our judgement, and make us proud as not to acknowledge our Maker, Provider, Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last, Who upholds all things by the power of His word



©Fenny West


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