Ministry in the Hotspots

In Colossians chapter 3, we see a picture of the motivated and equipped saint of God, ready to do the will of God and to share the compassion of Christ. We can read:
12 Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering;
13 bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.
14 But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.

These resources and qualities are available to the believer in Christ, because we have been recipients of His love and have accepted Him into our hearts.  Therefore, we are called not to walk in selfishness, turning inward, but to selflessness, keeping our eyes outward, so that we can know the areas in which God would have us to minister. We can allow the Holy Spirit to penetrate our hearts and to give us the capacity to love with His love and to serve with His motivation.

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In our love for Christ and for other people, we can be ready to do His work when the need arises. 2nd John mentions the love of the Lord, which can operate through us:
4 I rejoiced greatly that I have found some of your children walking in truth, as we received commandment from the Father.
5 And now I plead with you, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment to you, but that which we have had from the beginning: that we love one another.
6 This is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, that as you have heard from the beginning, you should walk in it.

It certainly was unexpected - heavy rains in the central portion of the state of Tennessee resulted in devastating flash flooding, which led to death - over 20 lost their lives in and around Waverly, Tennessee, about an hour west of Nashville. 

The Tennessean reported that 17 inches of rain fell on Waverly on Saturday.  On Sunday, it was time to rescue and recover.  I read a post on social media that basically said that the churches of the area mobilized and became a source, the initial source, even, of help.  Indeed, the newspaper's website said:

Humphreys County EMA Public Information Officer Grey Collier estimates hundreds of homes may be uninhabitable.

Roughly 60 people have taken shelter at three locations in Waverly: Waverly Church of Christ, First Baptist Church Waverly and Compassion Church Waverly, according to Collier.

And, the community rose up to do what communities should do, according to the site:

On Main Street, 36-year-old Chelsea Christman's home has become a hub for volunteers and donations. It's near Waverly's First Baptist Church, which is acting as a shelter for displaced families. By Sunday morning, donations of non-perishable food, water, baby supplies and fresh clothes overflowed from Christman's porch.

Dozens of residents walked through the flooded neighborhoods close to the downtown district Sunday afternoon. ATVs and trucks with trailers hauling boats and equipment poured through the tight city roads as civilian and professional volunteers alike worked to help where needed.

Smoke from grills filled the air as several people fired up hot dogs to feed anyone hungry passing by. People stood on corners handing out bottled water.

The article also described how an aptly-named church declared that it would be the Church:

On Sunday morning, Compassion Church Pastor Kody Newcomb told the congregation and others, “we need to do this.”

"We cannot let this city just stay where it is, or just be served here or there. We need to be the light of the world so people can see these loving actions,” Newcomb said. "This is not a two-day project. This is not even a two-week project. We are going to continue to serve this city and love on it even after it's repaired, on a whole new level."

Meanwhile, we are reminded that there are other ministry hotspots around the world.  No doubt, there will be relief provided by ministry organizations in the aftermath of Hurricane Henri, which affected the Northeast U.S. over the weekend.  And, in Haiti, where the death toll is now well over 2,000 people as the result of a 7.2-magnitude earthquake, The Christian Post reports on faith-based organizations who are ramping up their assistance - not unexpectedly, Samaritan's Purse is on the scene; so is Free Wheelchair Mission.  And, an organization with a base of operation in the nation is ramping up its activity.  The Post relates:

LiveBeyond, a Christian nonprofit organization that's been operating in Haiti for over a decade, said in a post on Twitter Monday that its operations in the Thomazeau region were not affected and urged people worldwide to pray for Haitians mourning the loss of loved ones and for the nation's recovery. The nonprofit is providing medical care for many who suffered injuries from the earthquake near Les Cayes.

Dr. David Vanderpool, the founder of LiveBeyond, said he's working to get back to Haiti, as LiveBeyond has opened its hospital to receive the injured by helicopter as part of a disaster relief group working under the Haitian Ministry of Health. They anticipate expenses nearing $200,000 to provide medical care and disaster relief assistance to those in need.

Dr. Vanderpool related to The Christian Post:

“Even though I’m not currently there now, our base is operating completely normal, and our staff have reported that we are feeding more people because marketplaces and ports have been shut down in Haiti, so food is scarce,” he said. “Typically, persecution increases faith for those who have faith."

“Introducing people to the Christian faith is a real challenging situation because many people respond differently. But many Haitians with faith have turned to God more now than ever,” he said.

The doctor encourages prayer for the nation of Haiti in this challenging time. And yesterday was a day of prayer that was set aside concerning the situation in Afghanistan by Franklin Graham of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and Samaritan's Purse. CBN.com reported:

“There is no hope for these people to get out safely — apart from a miracle from the hand of God — and that’s what we need to pray for,” he said in a press release issued Friday afternoon, noting Samaritan’s Purse is partnering with groups in Afghanistan to get people out of the country.

Graham’s youngest son, Edward, who served in six combat deployments with special operations forces in Afghanistan, said it “hurts” to see what’s currently unfolding in the country.

“I spent years there and lost many friends,” he added. “There are many Afghan people that I love. This is a manmade disaster and there isn’t a person or an organization that can fix this. Only God can deliver us from this crisis.”

Within the space of a little more than a week, we are reminded of the deep human needs that are present in our world - from Tennessee to New England, from Haiti to Afghanistan.  And, our God is big enough to handle it all and so much more.  He is calling on His people to stand in faith and to call upon His name, that He might get the glory even in trial.

The question becomes: are we prepared to stand - and act?  The churches of Waverly, Tennessee, faced with a sudden disaster, became available to their community, to provide hope and comfort.  Christian organizations are working in Haiti and Afghanistan to take advantage of opportunities to save lives.  Christ came to rescue us and the whole world from the power of sin and in His compassion, He can equip and empower us to do what He's called us to do. We can possess a sense of readiness, in order that His designated work might be carried out.