Southwestern Union Record for 1999
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Di""nteras contents Advertising 29 Announcements 28 Arkansas-Louisiana Conference News 10 God is still there when all Editorial 3 else is gone Feature 4 f that is how God clothes the grass of the The longer we live the more we're field, which is here today, and tomorrow brought to recognize that life does come 1.is thrown into the fire, how much more to an end. General News 26 will He clothe you..." (Luke 12:28). Standing in the midst of the shat- tered homes in the Oklahoma City area Milestones 28 It is difficult to put into words the in May brought this fact to mind in a thoughts that came flooding through my vivid panorama, and I recalled two wise 30 mind as I stood on the cement slab that Bible writers who penned these words: Obituaries had been the foundation of someone's "Do not boast about tomorrow, for you home in the Oklahoma City area the day do not know what a day may bring Oklahoma the tornado struck on May 3. Here I was forth" (Proverbs 27:1, NKJV). And "As Conference News 14 surveying the devastation around me. I for man, his days are like grass; as a felt overwhelmed at what I saw. I found flower of the field, so he flourishes. For myself fighting back tears. It was as the wind passes over it, and it is gone and Southwest Region though an atom bomb had blasted the its place remembers it no more. But the Conference News 17 community homes apart. mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to People were picking through the everlasting on those who fear Him" (Ps. rubble of what once was the place they Southwestern Union 103:15-17, NKJV). Conference News 8 had called home. They were looking for While we have opportunity; let us something of their past—a photo, a make the best of what God has given us. spoon, a plate—anything they could keep Our homes, our children, our parents Sunset Calendar 31 of what had once been a happy time, but and friends are precious. Let us treat little could be found. them as such. Our opportunities, our This experience, traumatic as it freedom, our ability to work and to wor- Texas was, has once again brought me to the Conference News 19 ship—let us thank God for each of His realization that life is uncertain. It does blessings and serve Him in a way that not consist of the things we may or may will show we mean it. But then, let us Texico not have, for these may be taken from us also prepare ourselves for the eventuali- Conference News 23 in a matter of minutes. And that does not ties of life, whatever they may be. always happen as a result of a natural dis- Although we do not know what the aster. True, a tornado, hurricane, flood or future holds, we do know who holds the fire does cause devastation, but there are future, and we do About the cover: other events just as devastating. A car or have the assur- Once the dust and confusion settled from the plane accident, a doctor's diagnosis of ance that we tornado that hit areas of Oklahoma City, some dreaded disease, a family breakup, a Southwestern Union will be sus- president, Max A. loved one forsaking God, or even the tained by His Trevino (left), and death of a loved one leave us with a feel- all-powerful Oklahoma Conference ing of helplessness. hand, no mat- president, Rodney We may not always be conscious of ter what befalls Grove (kneeling), the fact, or maybe it's something we'd toured the devastated us. area. Here they are rather not to reflect on, but our lives and examining some of the way we are living are tenuous at best. the remains of what had been a home just two days before. MAX A. TREVINO Vol. 98, No. 8. The Southwestern Union Record is a monthly publication of the Seventh-day Adventist churches of Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, New Mexico and Texas published at the headquarters office of the Southwestern Union Conference, Box 4000, 777 South Burleson Boulevard, Burleson, Texas 76097. Subscription price is 510. Courage! II better day is coming! he impact of the rockets that mass shooting at Columbine High slammed into the buildings in the val- School in Littleton, Colorado. Although T ley below us shook our apartment tragedy occurred, both students and I remember my affliction building repeatedly. They were being teachers gave God credit for their protec- and my wandering, launched from the hill above and were tion. The bitterness and the gall. aimed at opposing forces down in the val- Those who face situations that ley. But who could be sure a rocket would cannot be changed, whether it is the I well remember them, not go astray and drop on our building breakup of a family, a financial disaster, a And my soul is downcast instead? It was not a comfortable feeling, terminal illness, or some destructive and to make it worse, this rocket-shoot- force, can still rest in the assurance that within me. ing which had been going on for some the Almighty God will be with them. Yet this I call to mind time—usually at night—was now happen- "Though I walk though the valley..thou And therefore I have hope: ing during the day as well. art with me..." (Ps. 23). The American embassy had sent Knowing as we do that our planet Because of the Lord's great out word that an evacuation could be is "waxing" old and that conditions will love imminent, that there would be little continue to deteriorate, we need to take We are not consumed, notice, but that everyone would be able the Apostle Paul's advice to heart. "For," to take out one suitcase apiece. When he says, "our struggle is not against flesh For His compassions never considering everything in the house, and blood, but against the rulers, against fail. that's not much! What was most pre- the authorities, against the powers of They are new every morn- cious? Books, mementos, family photos, this dark world and against spiritual clothes? Priorities are quickly pared to a forces of evil in the heavenly realms. ing; minimum at times like this. Therefore put on the full armor of God, Great is your faithfulness. Two lessons I learned from living in so that when the day of evil comes, you a conflict zone: 1) Earthly possessions are may be able to stand your ground and I say to myself, of little value when faced with a crisis, after you have "The Lord is my portion; and 2) Danger, a disaster, or a traumatic done every- Therefore I will wait for event becomes more bearable when we thing, to are right with God. Fear and trepidation stand" Him." may paralyze us, and we may lose what is (Ephesians The Lord is good to those dear, but One who knows the number of 6:12, 13, Whose hope is in Him. hairs on our heads will never forsake us! NIV). Most people who have recovered To the one who seeks Him; from a life-threatening experience will It is good to wait quietly credit their survival to the power of the Almighty. One such recent event is the For the salvation of the Lord. Lamentations 3:19-26 (NIV) JEAN THOMAS EDITOR flugust 1999 • The Record 3 Crises, Calamities Disas[ers, Emergencies How well are we prepared Co handle them? Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places...rand] great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now—and never will be equaled again." Matt 24: 7 and 21, NIV nd-time events and the escalating fre- Denver hospitals go into the disaster disaster response coordinator, organized quency of disasters have always been mode. This means that we are all pre- three mobile unit teams which were dis- E of special interest to Seventh-day pared to accept victims, to share patients' patched to needy locations. A warehouse Adventists, and for this reason it seems information with all the hospitals, either was opened to accommodate the 58 important that we be ready to assist in by fax or telephone, and thus facilitate mass shipments of relief supplies which crisis situations. Situations which may relatives looking for loved ones." had arrived, and nearly 350 ACS volun- need our help include a conflict, fire, During this emergency, Chris teers, 19 Americorps youth and a dozen flood, earthquake, hurricane, tornado, Hauck, director of the ADRA affiliate Seventh-day Adventist pastors and acade- chemical spill, shooting, car or plane acci- agency in Denver, was on-site with a dis- my groups went to work. dent, sudden illness or death. aster response team to feed the hundreds "When I am assigned to work dur- To illustrate the importance of of investigators and other officials, along ing a disaster, Adventists are the first peo- being prepared, take the role the with a few families at the school. Food ple I contact," says Joan Lewin, a 10-year Littleton Adventist Hospital and the and volunteers were also provided by veteran in disaster response work with Denver ADRA affiliate played in helping Centura Health Care, the Adventist hos- the American Red Cross and the Federal during the Columbine High School crisis pital chain that includes Porter Hospital Emergency Management Agency in Colorado.