Responding to Devastation with Sensitivity and Generosity
By Terry Rendon, 01.27.05
When horrific natural disasters occur, like the tsunamis that killed about 200,000 people, one tendency is to ask 'why does God let such a thing happen?' and then 'how should Christians respond?'
"This is a punishment from God because everybody is leading a wretched life," said a Roman Catholic priest from Colombo, Sri Lanka in CNN.com report.
"All of us are to be blamed for the tsunami. There is no sense of modesty or religiosity anymore. People have gone so far away from God. It's a message to say, 'Look, I'm the boss,'" he said.
Apostle Paul wrote to the believers in Corinth, "He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When others are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us."
According to the Bible, Christians should better equip themselves to comfort people after a tragedy because God comforts us.
Perhaps Christians should take scripture to heart and offer comforting and hopeful words to a grieving world instead of condemning them. Doom and gloom Christianity is not useful to anyone.
Author C. S. Lewis once wrote, "God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world."
The tsunami roused our generosity. Not only should Christians offer comforting words and prayers but also a helping hand. A spirit of charity emerged directly after the tsunami. According to a Reuter’s report, Red Cross and UNICEF have received a record amount of money.
According to an AP poll, 3 in 10 Americans say they have donated to victims of the tsunami in Southeast Asia. I hope this sense of generosity lasts long after the news organizations cease to give updates.
Historically humans learn from suffering. When tragedies strike, we create precautionary systems or technology which can prevent it from having it again or at least reduce the amount causalities. Our national early hurricane system was developed after Sept. 8, 1900 when hurricane hit and killed 6,000 people in Galveston, Texas. On March 25, 1911 a fire killed 146 females who worked for The Triangle Shirtwaist Company in New York City, after this incident many of our well known fire codes were implemented.
According to a Jan. 12 BBC report, a tsunami early warning system for the Southeast Asia region could be up and running by the middle of next year. The head of the UN's cultural and scientific agency said a $30 million system could be in place in the Indian Ocean by June 2006, with a global one to follow in 2007.
It doesn’t make sense that people should suffer on such a large scale like the recent tragedy. However, suffering is part of humanity. It has and will always exist. Maybe instead of trying to understand it, when devastation strikes, we should approach it by simply helping others and giving faithfully to charitable organizations.
