By Didi Martinez | Digital Managing Editor
Over the weekend, Hurricane Harvey swept through Texas, in what has been a devastating blow to the southern part of the state.
Harvey was the first hurricane to hit Texas since Ike made landfall nine years ago, and most area residents could not remember the last time they prepared for a storm of this magnitude. There have been a lot of false alarms since Ike, but none had ever come close to the category four storm that pushed its way along the coast.
Now as images of submerged cities and aid workers assisting area victims flash across our social feeds, we are also given glimpses of the very moments that make life worth living.
Shelters are opening to aid those affected by the storm, people online are asking for donations and strangers are meeting for the first time as they help each other get out of harm’s way.
It may seem like an unusual time to be looking for the positives in a situation that appears to be overwhelmingly negative, but I’m a big believer in God’s power to transform. A while ago I read an article that really changed the way I think about tragedy. The world is full of chaos and unpredictablity, that is a fact. And in the midst of adversity, we may have more questions than answers and at times, question the very character of a God that lets horrible things happen. But trust in this; God is present.
Just look around at the people preparing food for those who have lost their homes. Look at the electricians risking their lives to repair power lines. Look at the men and women who have already lost so much, but are willing to help their neighbor. This is a transformation. God’s power isn’t in making things go away, but transforming difficult moments into ones that touch the heart.
As we experience heartbreak for those affected by the storm, I can’t help but think of a quote from Victor Hugo’s, “Les Miserables,” “To love another person is to see the face of God.”
I believe that a lot of people are seeing the face of God today, and I pray that we find it in our hearts to extend our support for those in need. Not just because it’s the Christian thing to do, but because it’s the human thing to do.
To those in the Houston and Gulf area, stay strong and be confident in the fact that you are not alone.
