National Disaster Response
Road Trips

Real Giving
by Maj. Byron E. Martin

Hurricane Katrina briefs...

It wasn't the uncomfortable 1,200 odd miles or the 20 hours traveled to reach New Orleans in an old converted Winnebago. It wasn't the long, hard days working at the site known as "Camp Hope" scrubbing, sweeping, hauling, cooking and serving in the tremendously hot, sticky weather. It wasn't even the passing out of hot meals and water in the surrounding, hurricane devastated New Orleans cities to people who had nothing left to hope for.

True, all of these things were gifts of hope that many Christians from many different churches all over the United States were sharing with the hurting victims of Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas. And all of those things were great sacrifices made by caring people who wanted to do their part to help ease the pain of great loss. But the "real giving" was something so small, so simple and so understated that you might almost miss it.

We were driving our Disaster Relief Vehicle in and out of hurricane ravaged streets of what must have been some of the most beautiful neighborhoods in Lakeview, a Parish of New Orleans. Most streets were impassible and many times we had to back out because the street was blocked by a large tree, telephone pole, car on its side, or even a house. We were able to find people that were hopelessly sifting through their demolished houses for anything they might be able to preserve. We gave them cold water and hot food. Earlier in the trip, we were about the work or helping. But as the days passed, we began to see the real need. Yes, we had to continue the hard work and long hours, but there was something else.

I first recognized it when we stopped to see if a couple needed anything to eat or drink. Col. Dawn Astin, from our Williamsport Corps, listened as she heard the heart of the woman speak and said "You need a hug." She dropped her serving utensils, took off her gloves, stepped away from the "work" to wrap her arms around this stranger whose heart spoke to her. Soon, Debbie La Valla had dropped her serving spoon and the three women hugged and cried together.

I believe that God ordained Debbie from Connecticut and Dawn from Pennsylvania to drive down with our own crew from Washington, DC to show Christ-like love for a woman in Louisiana at that very moment. That is how Americans act at their very best. That is how Christians act at their very best. That is how God made us to act at our very best. And we are at our very best when we are in tune with His call. He speaks not to our intellect, our wisdom, our patriotism, our strength or our sense of decency. He simply speaks to our heart and if we listen to the small voice that he places there, we learn that perfect act of "real giving".