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First Response: Katrina - "Compassion is Key" - David Ruis in Baton Rouge |
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Written by Editor
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I have spent time in a lot of various "third world" scenarios in a
relief type of capacity - and so the images that began to roll across
my television screen in the wake of the Katrina hurricane were not
unfamiliar. As many have noted however, it was so strange to see that
kind of destruction on American soil.
As I watched I felt compelled to respond in some way. So, within a week
of the wind, the rain and the surge I was on my way to Baton Rouge,
Louisiana to help however I could. No big agenda but simply to
come and serve. I made contact with one of our Vineyard communities
there and it seemed good to go. I snagged a plane ticket using points
that I'd accumulated with my airline and with the blessing of my family
and our new church plant in LA. I was off. I spent time in several of
the shelters in the area, even becoming a Red Cross volunteer. I helped
with the Vineyard efforts in Baton Rouge and Kenner doing various
things from bagging supplies to taking out the garbage.
Before I go too far in my reflections about being there and what I've
observed since, I would like to say how great it was to see our
Vineyard family pulling together through this tragedy. We certainly are
not the only part of the church that went into motion, but it was
amazing to see how much our group could pull together and rally. So
much support was flooding in to the area that the Vineyard's on sight
could not keep up. It was awesome! I know to this day there continues
to be an unending flow of volunteers, supplies, money and prayer moving
into the area. I am deeply moved by our response as a community.
The thing I am most struck by however, as I muse about my experience
and as I continue to be involved more from a distance, is the reality
that in the midst of all the commotion it is easy to miss people.
Yeah, I know we're doing it "for" the people, but somehow I
wonder if it's really true.
Tragedy stirs up a lot of responses. It is a catalyst for action, but
it also is a tremendous tool to expose the true motives and priorities
of the heart. Just watch and listen to the politicians. Observe
the finger pointing happening at all levels of engagement in the
tragedy. Watch the prices of everything from plywood to gasoline
skyrocket. Even amongst relief agencies I observed all kinds of turf
wars and wrestling for statistics and stories. Even as our
Vineyards were trying to sort out how to respond it was fascinating to
watch the dynamics as decisions were needing to be made about who's in
charge, where are the main staging areas to be, "who gets what,”
etc. These were all necessary discussions, but so easy for
the focus to become lost. It becomes about "me" and what I'm doing
"for" people, instead of the people.
The subtle references that smacked of prejudice and discomfort with
helping certain people were rattling too. Well intentioned, knowing we
needed to help, but help with an attitude. "We need to bring supplies
to "them coon-asses" or the "coloreds"" I heard more than once. Packing
guns as well as we delivered material, in case we needed to protect
ourselves. I guess on one level I understood it, but on a whole other
level it was confusing for me.
There can be a lot of action and not much listening. There can be all
kinds of assumptions about what people need and mobilization to get it
to them and then you discover it's not what they need at all. But ”oh
well,” you did them a service anyway.
I certainly do not want to slide down a negative path, but we must keep people as the focus , not the program or the ministry.
Makes me think about Jesus observing the crowds of people that were in need in his day ...
When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were
harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd - Matthew 9:36
Compassion is the key to seeing people. It is the motivation of sending
laborers out to help and the release of power to minister. Without
compassion it all becomes self serving, and we just become another
entity of harassment in people's lives, even though the intent is to
help. We add to their helplessness, even though our intent was to
get them up on their feet. Compassion moves us to engage with people,
not
just "help" them.
Compassion is what beats at the heart of Kingdom ministry and power.
I must say, I did see compassion moving in people and it made all the difference in how things were done.
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First Response 
