Posted on 09/01/2005 11:36:53 AM PDT by sionnsar
Emergency assistance and refugee centers have been set up across the Diocese of Western Louisiana and the Rt. Rev. D. Bruce McPherson is encouraging “a special offering” Sept. 4 to care for Hurricane Katrina evacuees. Episcopal Relief and Development [ERD] has also stepped in, disbursing $7,500 to support relief operations.
The gifts will be used as seed money toward creation of a special diocesan fund for “Katrina Relief” and support already underway at Camp Hardtner, according to Robert Harwell, editor of Alive!, the newspaper for the Diocese of Western Louisiana.
The Hardtner Camp & Conference Center in the town of Pollock was sheltering 60 developmentally challenged individuals from a group home, all of the residents from two nursing homes, and 40 people who had just arrived at the camp “without prior notice” from New Orleans. “Each individual is being housed in the conference center facilities and given three hot meals a day,” Mr. Harwell said.
Parishes are also pitching in to assist those displaced by what is likely to be the country’s most costly and destructive natural disaster. St. Alban’s, Monroe, opened its parish hall to 20 New Orleans evacuees. “The group is quite diverse,” Mr. Harwell said, “and includes several families native to New Orleans, two ministers, a Muslim family and a Honduran woman who is nine-months pregnant and speaks no English.”
In addition to basics of food and shelter, the parish set up a triage clinic staffed by Carlene Riley, a nurse and the wife of the Rev. Canon Gregg Riley, rector of neighboring Grace Church, Monroe.
Many of the evacuees arrived without their medications and were unprepared for an extended stay. Mrs. Riley found “diabetics without medications and hypertensive patients without proper medications” and called a physician to treat the expectant Honduran mother, who will deliver her baby at St. Alban's.
Mr. Harwell said that “opportunities for ministry abound” amidst the destruction and desolation. A Muslim refugee asked if caring for the displaced is what defined a Christian and then burst into tears, Mr. Harwell said, grateful for the kindness shown to him.
To make an ERD contribution to help people affected by Hurricane Katrina, please donate to the U.S. Hurricane Fund by credit card here or by calling 1-800-334-7626, ext. 5129. Gifts can also be mailed to: Episcopal Relief and Development, c/o U.S. Hurricane Fund, PO Box 12043, Newark, NJ 07101.
Traditional Anglican ping, continued in memory of its founder Arlin Adams. The Living Church reports on the ministry of the Diocese of Western Louisiana in Hurricane Katrina’s aftermath:
Emergency assistance and refugee centers have been set up across the Diocese of Western Louisiana and the Rt. Rev. D. Bruce McPherson is encouraging “a special offering” Sept. 4 to care for Hurricane Katrina evacuees. Episcopal Relief and Development [ERD] has also stepped in, disbursing $7,500 to support relief operations.
The gifts will be used as seed money toward creation of a special diocesan fund for “Katrina Relief” and support already underway at Camp Hardtner, according to Robert Harwell, editor of Alive!, the newspaper for the Diocese of Western Louisiana.
This note is, well, marvelous:
Parishes are also pitching in to assist those displaced by what is likely to be the country’s most costly and destructive natural disaster. St. Alban’s, Monroe, opened its parish hall to 20 New Orleans evacuees. “The group is quite diverse,” Mr. Harwell said, “and includes several families native to New Orleans, two ministers, a Muslim family and a Honduran woman who is nine-months pregnant and speaks no English.”
…Mr. Harwell said that “opportunities for ministry abound” amidst the destruction and desolation. A Muslim refugee asked if caring for the displaced is what defined a Christian and then burst into tears, Mr. Harwell said, grateful for the kindness shown to him.
That simultaneously provokes rapturous joy - and deep, deep humility. Lord Jesus, have mercy on the weak vessels whom you have chosen to bear witness to your love in word and in deed.
As Brad Drell noted yesterday with regards to the huge influx of refugees into Rapides Parish (in central Louisiana - Monroe is in north Louisiana), these are interesting times indeed, and “a huge opportunity for ministry”. May God richly and abundantly bless the efforts of the Episcopalians of Western Louisiana, and all who minister to those left homeless and destitute. All of you are hope to the refugees from the devastation.
When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he will put the sheep at his right hand and the goats at the left. Then the king will say to those at his right hand, “Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.” Then the righteous will answer him, “Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?” And the king will answer them, “Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.”
Matthew 25
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