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Preparing and Caring in Disaster-Filled Times

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Preparing and Caring in Disaster-Filled Times CC on the move Wise women also came Guiding hands Brazil welcomes Koyzis and Kuyper PAGE 5 PAGE 11 PAGE 14 PAGES 15 & 20 PM# 40009999 R9375 A Reformed Biweekly | 72nd Year of Publication | January 9, 2017 | NO. 3047 | $2.50 News. Clues. Kingdom views. Preparing and caring in disaster-filled times Angela Reitsma Bick an opportunity for the local church earthquakes of similar magnitude to do what it does best: care for the and in similar geographic regions in We know what disaster looks like. vulnerable, get involved and seek terms of population density, yet the We’ve seen it in the faces of those out those in need. death toll in Haiti was significantly fleeing Fort McMurray, in the tan- I spoke with Dr. Aten, Wheaton higher – many homes were not built gled rebar rubble of Aleppo and College Psychology Professor and correctly, people had been paid for broken glass in a Berlin market – Co-Director of the Humanitarian work that wasn’t done. Disasters to mention just a few of the mass Disaster Institute, on the upside magnify the struggles people are and humanitarian disasters in the of extreme events, how the media going through on a daily basis. past year. influences our donations and why The uncomfortable pew: We recognize the aftermath, your church should have a disaster Disasters vary so widely, and seem Flourishing congregations in a secular age but know very little about how to ministry. to be increasing in frequency. Can prepare for any of these crises. Yet an individual church really pre- Peter Schuurman nization in Canada is conducting research shows that readiness can re- CC: You say that disasters reveal pare for so many variables? research particularly for the true duce or even prevent disaster. That’s the underlying fabric of the com- If you tried to respond to every- “Thank goodness this is a Canadian north’s congregational life. the first reason this discussion should munity. What do you mean? thing at once, it would actually hurt study,” Canadian congregational Flourishing Congregations In- matter to churches – because it offers Dr. Aten: Oftentimes when we think your efforts to get ready. You’d be- leaders kept saying. “We are differ- stitute (FCI) formally launched the chance to minimize suffering. about disasters, we think about the come overwhelmed. I encourage ent from the United States. We feel its think tank life on November Furthermore, many people turn damage left behind in the wake of congregations instead to consider like a faith community in exile.” 26th, 2016 on its home campus of to faith groups in an emergency. the event. But the event also pulls “What is your unique calling?” and We’ve heard from the Crystal Ambrose University in Calgary, This means, according to Jamie back the curtain on the injustices al- to really understand theologically Cathedral and Saddleback. We’ve Alberta. It had spent months gath- D. Aten and David Boan in the ready present in most communities. what your role would be in the face done Natural Church Develop- ering the perceptions of Christian Disaster Ministry Handbook, that Consider the earthquake in Haiti of a disaster. And then start small. ment and “Healthy Church” sur- leaders across Canada and used disasters and their aftermath can be [in 2010]. There’ve been other Continued on page 2 veys. Now, finally, a new orga- Continued on page 2 PAGE 2 christian courier News Preparing and caring continued Where to start? What do you already do well? If your con- World renew Disaster response Ser- gregation has a strong children’s ministry, vices has designed a webpage to help or a strong ministry in caring for the elderly, churches with preparedness. It walks start there. Don’t try to respond to everything. you through the following five steps: Think more broadly about how would we care Know your risk for the needs of children? i.e., to help them and General questions to ask their families in the event of a disaster. That reduce your risk and prepare will help you build capacity for responding. Medical emergencies Dr. Aten If you’re able to get ready for even just Helping your community Aten and Boan’s book is a practical guide and one risk factor, that will give you the ability After the Nepal earthquake, I wrote an article introduction to the idea of disaster ministry. worldrenew.net/prepare-disasters to pivot in response to a number of types that highlighted giving patterns around major of events. disasters in the last decade. When press and place to stay – which may mean you’re taking You visit devastated communities and coun- media attention for a disaster increase, our food and shelter from someone who needs it. tries. What brings you hope? I’m a member of the Christian Reformed giving follows almost identically. respond first with prayer, giving dona- I’d like to respond to that on two different denomination, which – for its small size – Also, you may recall the global response tions and supporting relief organizations levels. I tend to be an optimistic person, so I has a pretty large relief and development on social media to the Paris attacks [of No- like World renew by listening to what do look for the best in situations. I’m a Stage organization that responds to crises around vember 2015]. Compare that to some of the they say they need. World renew issues 4 cancer survivor, two years in remission. the world. Does my local church still need reactions people had to a terrorist attack in an volunteer opportunities, ways you can get What I’ve seen in my work professionally to do disaster preparedness? impoverished country in Africa. You didn’t involved. That’s the best way to do it. There as a Disaster Psychologist as well as from I think very highly of World renew; they see everybody suddenly changing their Face- will be times you can go, but it needs to be what I’ve learned in going through my own are such a blessing to so many communities book accounts when an attack happened in through the proper channels. personal disaster – there’s a difference be- that have been affected by disasters. Even Africa, but many people did after the Paris tween optimism and hope. As Christians, we though the Christian reformed Church has attacks. When I can identify with the victims, “Our life is one long process of mutual aid,” have an eternal hope. Even though we live in such a wonderful relief arm, I would still it’s easier to empathize with them. author David Dark says, “and what a relief world that is broken, where there’s pain and encourage local congregations to make the ef- Therefore it’s important that local it is when people act on this knowledge.” suffering, I know that God will be there with fort to get prepared for disasters. For example, churches help bring attention to these events. Does that resonate with you? us through that pain. We may not always get think about the role of FEMA in the United I’m grateful that my home church readily One of the things that I often share with answers to our “Why?” questions, but God States – our Federal Emergency Management prays for major events, from the refugee people is that it takes a community to re- will give us himself – he will be with us Agency. Historically, the idea had been that crisis to current disasters. cover. I’ve seen this in terms of large-scale, through that pain and suffering. That’s where should a large disaster hit, FEMA would come mass disasters, but on a more personal level my hope comes from. in and help rebuild and take care of disaster Not all aid helps. How can we avoid useless when I was going through my own cancer The other part is that I remember inter- needs. But even FEMA has started to shift the or harmful attempts? disaster, I remember early on my college viewing survivors after Hurricane Katrina. way that they are thinking. They’ve adopted There are definitely right ways and wrong president asking how I was doing. I shared I’ll never forget this one person who shared the whole community approach, which sug- ways to help. When an event first happens, with him that I was struggling with accept- with me that “I saw God in the people in my gests that yes, the relief organization and resist that urge to self-deploy. I’ve had friends ing help – I’m the type of person that likes community. I saw God in the people driv- others have an incredible and important role who literally packed up the pickup and drove to help people, but it’s hard for me to accept ing the vans down with supplies. I saw God to play, but as disasters are becoming more hundreds of miles to help. Even though their help. And he said, “Jamie, we’re all the type working in the soup kitchen.” complex and larger and more damaging, it’s heart is in the right place, they’re more likely of people that need help.” In times of disaster, God is working going to take all of us working together. We to cause harm doing that. Don’t be an SUV – a I think if we can own that we all are hurting, through his people. It’s almost overwhelm- can’t just rely on external help. Spontaneous, Unaffiliated Volunteer. If you’re whether a mass disaster or personal disaster, ing at times, to see God’s grace extended to In fact I often recommend that churches not connected to a proper organization, you’re then that pain can actually unite rather than those who need it most.
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