We have CNN on at work, watching the storm coverage as it rolls in. Watching the pictures of waves flooding into Galveston, and observing the heaviness hanging over Houston, I can’t help but think back to High School and my first mission trip. My youth group loaded up vans and headed to Houston to lead a day camp at Star of Hope Shelter. Following our week of service, we headed down to Galveston to swim in the ocean and ride horses on the beach.
Tomorrow, I am volunteering with the annual Homeless Outreach event here in Little Rock. I thought about handing out fresh clothes and toiletries to the homeless in our city, who will face the rains that will soon come in the aftermath of Hurricane Ike. Then I thought about Houston. The road from the church where we boarded to our daily duties at Star of Hope was lined with homeless people like matches in a box: sleeping bag after box after scrap heap.
There are people who have evacuated the cities in Ike’s path. There are people, either out of pride or out of protection of their possessions, who chose to stay. And then there are people who have no choice. No matter what life circumstances and personal decisions land a person on the streets, there are human beings who will die tonight in a very frightening and devastating manner. Many of their deaths will go completely unnoticed.
Pray for the people who have already been and will be affected by Hurricane Ike.
Pray for the broken and hurting people who are wandering our streets.
Pray for merciful hearts that won’t simply turn away.
Pray that, out of our comfort,
we may comfort others.
Tomorrow, I am volunteering with the annual Homeless Outreach event here in Little Rock. I thought about handing out fresh clothes and toiletries to the homeless in our city, who will face the rains that will soon come in the aftermath of Hurricane Ike. Then I thought about Houston. The road from the church where we boarded to our daily duties at Star of Hope was lined with homeless people like matches in a box: sleeping bag after box after scrap heap.
There are people who have evacuated the cities in Ike’s path. There are people, either out of pride or out of protection of their possessions, who chose to stay. And then there are people who have no choice. No matter what life circumstances and personal decisions land a person on the streets, there are human beings who will die tonight in a very frightening and devastating manner. Many of their deaths will go completely unnoticed.
Pray for the people who have already been and will be affected by Hurricane Ike.
Pray for the broken and hurting people who are wandering our streets.
Pray for merciful hearts that won’t simply turn away.
Pray that, out of our comfort,
we may comfort others.
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