When the Winds Blow It Down

On this day in history, October 2, 1963, Haiti was devastated by one of the deadliest hurricanes in its history. More than 5,000 people died as a result of Category 5 Hurricane Flora, in Haiti alone, although that was only after the hurricane hit other islands in the Caribbean. Landslides and flooding were as ruinous as the storm itself.

Fifty-three years later, the Caribbean and United States see an average of 10 named hurricanes a season. The season lasts from June to November; September is usually the peak of the season. It was only weeks ago, during the first week of September, that Hurricanes Harvey and Irma shattered property and lives in the Caribbean and the United States.

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Six or seven years ago, I worked with a small team to rebuild Mississippi in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Katrina was one of the costliest and deadliest storms to ever hit the United States. It destroyed New Orleans when the levees broke, and the storm wreaked havoc from Texas to Florida in late August 2005.

I joined a small team to help rebuild outside of Biloxi, Mississippi. A Methodist church hosted us, giving us a place to sleep and shower and feeding us in typical Southern style. The Southern mantra held true: if you leave hungry, it's your own fault! The dormitory shared a large pole barn with a storage space, shelves holding paint supplies, hammers and nails, and other supplies various teams had used to repair and rebuild the towns along the Gulf Coast. Our team volunteered at the tail end of the rebuilding cycle, so while some teams rewired electricity, replaced roofs, and raised homes onto 18-foot stilts, our team was tasked with painting the inside of a couple's home.

I had already started to see symptoms of what would turn out to be a devastating form of psoriatic arthritis, and I wasn't sure I should go. Or even that I could contribute. A dear friend told me, "If you feel God is calling you to go, He'll provide something for you to do." That He did! So don't let fear hold you back if you think there is something you can do to help, financially or physically.

The islands of the Caribbean and the southern U.S. are not unused to rebuilding after hurricanes, but Harvey and Irma have devastated the area nearly as much as Katrina and Flora. Many people have sent and will continue to send money and supplies through federal and Christian organizations, and the clean-up will be spearheaded by FEMA.

But after the clean-up, they must rebuild, and you can help then as well. Consider creating or joining a group to travel to the coast. Read more on the National Relief Network web site.

If you can hold a hammer, rewire a house, climb a ladder, or simply wield a paintbrush, you may have more to contribute than you realize.