Good Morning

October 23, 2006

If I had my life to live over...I'd dare to make more mistakes next time.-Nadine Stair
Good Morning,

Those of you that attended our Partners in Service Luncheon last year had the opportunity to hear Major John R. Jones talk about the Army’s emergency disaster work around the hurricanes last year. During his message, Major Jones said that hurricanes, floods, earthquakes are often referred to as “Acts of God.” He went on to say that, he did not believe that was the case. Natural disasters are just that, natural; they happen because it is part of nature. The “Acts of God,” are the things that the people of God do following “acts of nature” or humans that destroy and unsettle lives. I love that comment, I agree wholeheartedly with Major Jones.

Last week we experienced an act of nature that unsettled all of us. Many of us were at the Ala Moana Hotel with the Divisional Women’s Ministries Conference when the earthquake occurred. Many of us spent the morning bringing our senior women and their luggage down 15+ floors via dark stairwells. Others were talking to the women, as well as other hotel guests, giving them assurance that everything would be all right. While all this was happening, Major Jonnette Mulch was leading a wonderful time of praise and worship. It was interesting to move around the hotel to see the stress on peoples faces, then go into the worship service and sense the calm assurance that God was in control. At one point during a testimony time, a man thanked the women for the calming confidence they were sharing with others. He also thanked them for making food available to others; Acts of God.

We heard the airport was open, and decided the best thing was to get the women from the neighbor islands home. We arrived at the airport, saw thousands of stranded people standing outside the inter-island terminal, and decided we had to do something. I wish I could say everything went smoothly, yet, there were challenges, including no electricity, overtaxed cell phone lines, people coming up asking for directions (I guess it is the uniform), getting permission from airport security, on and on. However, thanks to Major George Beauchamp at the ARC, the Leeward and Kauluwela Corps, Revolution Hawaii, the women from the neighbor island corps and the Waioli Tea Room, we were able to serve over 3,000 people with food and water; Acts of God.

I would like to share one of the letters we received from stranded travelers:

Dear Salvation Army, We would like to thank you for all you did for us while stranded at the Honolulu airport after the earthquake. We were really feeling anxious and hopeless when your volunteers appeared with heart felt smiles and much needed food. I don't think were could of lasted much longer without food. There were many older people and children that had been in line outside for 8 hours with only a small amount of liquids every hour. We did not get out until 12:30am and if not for your organization we would of not found the strength to last the 13 hours at the airport. Thank you again and may God continue to bless you.

I received a special blessing while we were waiting for the food to arrive. The neighbor island women decided to have a praise meeting outside the airport. As they started to sing people went over to see what was happening. Within a few minutes, hundreds of people were standing and singing. You could feel the sense of calm coming over the people that moments before were anxious. Situations had not changed, but there was the gentle reminder that God was still in control and everything was going to be all right; Acts of God.

"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?' "The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.” (Matthew 25:37-40) Acts of God

Over a week has gone by and all of us have returned to our lives and the busyness that life brings. I do hope and pray that our reminder of last week will stay with us awhile, and that we will remember, no matter what happens, God is in control and we are in very good hands.

Blessings,
d