Thursday, September 01, 2005

Hope

What can I say? The stories coming out of New Orleans are heartwrenching. The scenes disgusting. What vileness infects some people that they would prey upon their neighbors, and even their rescuers? Bodies litter the streets, float in the stagnant water, slump in chairs at Why is it taking so long for the massive response this catastrophe obviously requires? Just one of the realities of a burdensome bureaucracy? Ineffective communication?

I try to keep the news off the television when the kids are around. I sneak a peak when I get online for a few minutes or when our youngest is napping and the oldest is in school. They don't need to see and hear of this darker side of life. Not yet.

That's only part of the story, of course. There are also the stories of neighbors banding together to save those in the most need, kids setting up lemonade stands to raise money for relief efforts, benefit concerts and a million other good things.

My wife and I do talk to our kids about what happened. About the hurricane and all the families who don't have homes now. They really don't understand it all, but they do get that there are people in trouble. And they want to help. We've talked about what we can do. We're taking money and food to church for a special collection on Sunday. We pray for the victims, the rescuers and the relief workers.

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