The Worst of Times; The Best of Times

Alex readily admits that Hurricane Katrina was one of the worst experiences of his life, but the aftermath was one of the best times for him and his family

Alex led the response of what was then Northwest Medical Teams to the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. He lost his job as a result of the hurricane. Connections with church leaders in the area led him to us. Over the next three years, Alex coordinated the volunteer teams that came every two weeks to help with the response, working with ministry leaders throughout the New Orleans area.

As the leader of our New Orleans response effort, Alex saw devastation that was beyond description. He heard many heartrending personal stories. But he also saw incredible miracles as God provided people, supplies, and funds in remarkable ways over the years.

When we asked Alex how he was doing nine years after the disaster, he paused and said, "Those were hard years for many of us, but they were also good years."

His answer surprised us. "Good years?" We recalled that Alex and Rosa's own house was damaged by the hurricane. For nearly a year and a half, they could not use the first floor of their home, which was severely water damaged. They cooked on a Coleman stove in the bedrooms on the second floor of their house. They were a family in need.

However, they didn't focus on what they had lost. They focused on what they had gained. 

They were able to focus on doing what they could to help others in need. They also were encouraged by the volunteers who came to New Orleans--some of them several times--to help elderly people, to share with people who had no resources to rebuild, to comfort and counsel people who were incapacitated by the trauma of the disaster.

Over these years, Alex and his family saw faith and compassion in action. It shaped Alex and Rosa. And it also shaped their children, Alex and Victoria. Several years ago, Alex's school created a new award, a character award, because one student's quiet thoughtfulness and compassion for others was so evident to the faculty and staff. That student was young Alex.

Before we left, Alex cooked us a good southern breakfast--eggs, grits, biscuits, bacon. The hurricane damage to their first floor has been repaired. They no longer have to cook on the camp stove in a bedroom. 

That's true for their lives as well. While the impact of Hurricane Katrina continues in this family, it continues not in loss and suffering but in hearts filled with compassion, in their continuing efforts to serve others, and in their commitment to their church and their community.

Disasters certainly are the worst of times for those affected, but with God's grace and blessing, they can also become the best of times for people who focus on others and do what they can to help make a difference.