Be a responder to those crying for help

My heart is heavy this morning as I watch the video footage coming out of Puerto Rico. There is so much devastation and no electricity. Shortages of food and water. The hurricane was destructive beyond words. I began thinking about the 2 previous hurricanes that hit Texas and Florida also in recent weeks. How are those people coping? We rarely see news about them anymore since the latest storms get the most coverage.

It’s all so sad and my heart just yearns to help in some way. I feel like a small piece of me is helping because my daughter is in Puerto Rico  working with the Red Cross to assist the survivors. She has suffered many setbacks this past year in her personal life but when Hurricane Irma hit Florida she told me she wanted to go and help. She helped with the Katrina relief 12 years ago. She contacted the Red Cross and began the process of updating her training to go. An unexpected call came from the Red Cross that she was needed to go to Puerto Rico. She speaks 7 languages and her gift was desperately needed in this Spanish speaking country. She quickly rearranged her schedule and prepared to deploy in just 2 days.

I know that she arrived safely yesterday in Puerto Rico. She was able to send a brief text to let us know of her safe arrival. I haven’t heard anything since and I know our communication will be sporadic due to the lack of power on the island. I do know that she will put her whole heart into helping those people. Sometimes when we are down and life is tough the best thing to do is to reach out and help someone else. People are suffering everywhere.

These people that are suffering from these hurricanes are in desperate need of physical help. They need food, water and shelter. They need hope to pursue rebuilding their lives. I think all the responders to their pleas for help deserve recognition for all their selfless sacrifices they are making. There are no comforts over there. They deploy for several weeks while they help restore power, communication and offer supplies.

We might not  be able to go and help but we can make an effort today to help those suffering in our own communities. We can use our personal gifts and strengths to help lighten the load of someone suffering. Most of the time we are content to just read of the heroic efforts being put forth by our fellow citizens but what about being the hero yourself? Be the catalyst that starts a program in your community to help! Help your ailing neighbor.

One night many years ago we stopped on our way home from church to help a woman struggling to change her tire in the pouring rain. We ended up giving her a ride home as she lived fairly close to us. She turned out to be a realtor and helped us buy our first home. A little kindness on our part reaped huge blessings from God. Each and everything you do is being recorded by our heavenly father.

Reach out today and help someone else. It will help you more than words can express. Pray for all the responders as they endeavor to help restore the lives of the hurricane victims.