Hurricane Florence was predicted to produce catastrophic flooding along, devastating winds and other perilous and life threatening conditions, causing many to describe it as a storm of “Biblical proportions.”
The states of North Carolina, South Carolina and even Virginia were expected to be ruined by this scary storm.
“So, when this is all said and done, this is probably going to be the costliest storm in the history of the Carolinas because not only are you dealing with a major hurricane hit, but you’re dealing with flooding of Biblical proportions,” Meteorologist Joe Bastardi said.
Thankfully, these predictions were proven wrong, but the storm did raise some serious issues in the run-up to Florence making landfall.
How Believers Should Approach Hurricanes
Admittedly, storms like Hurricane Florence can be scary. The immense devastation along with the loss of life and property that comes along with a storm of this scope can cause even the most optimistic person to be discouraged and to feel downright hopeless. Thankfully, as Fred Rogers once said, there is good even in devastation of this magnitude. He was famously quoted on the subject when describing how his mother addressed scary situations similar to this storm that occurred when he was a boy:
“When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers.’ You will always find people who are helping.”
This is exactly how believers should approach any scary situation be it a disaster, crisis, or a storm like Hurricane Florence by serving as a helper. Thankfully, there are some actionable ways believers can help those affected by this storm of Biblical proportions. They are listed below:
How to Help Out Storm Victims
Give to Those Who Are on the Front Lines
Unfortunately, not everyone can pull up stakes and go to the front lines of the storm devastation to help. Even if they could, having an influx of people, mostly untrained, from other states isn’t exactly the most practical way to help and can even hinder rescue, recovery and rebuilding efforts. Therefore, the best way to aid the front lines is to give money to organizations that are there. One of the most notable organizations receiving donations for the storm relief is the Red Cross. They already have volunteers on location. Giving towards such an organization will in essence ensure they have the materials, products and tools they need to provide help to the victims of the storm.
Support Local Businesses
In addition, anyone wishing to help with relief efforts can find out if businesses in their local area are taking up donations for the storm victims. Often, businesses will collect nonperishable food items, water, blankets, diapers, wipes, sanitizer, flashlights, etc. and then ship them to the areas most affected by the storm. Churches also tend to take up such donations and serve as collection centers for an area. Call around to local churches to find out if they are collecting for storm victims and consider giving through them.
Reach Out to Families in the Storm Area
If a person knows someone in harm’s way personally who had to evacuate, they could reach out to them specifically to support them. Families will need resources to stay away from home until rescue efforts can be completed. They will need supplies, food, and materials to rebuild afterwards. Therefore, though it might be only helping one family, instead of a large group, giving to them directly will greatly impact the family helped.
Pray For All Families Involved
Sure, believers want to reach out to storm victims in an actionable way, through monetary donations or donating non perishable items. However, even more important than any physical aid that can be provided is acting spiritually on the victims’ behalf through the power of prayer. In the Bible, in James 5:16, it says, “…pray for each other…The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” This verse proves the fact that a simple prayer can be one of the most impactful ways a believer can help those affected by Hurricane Florence.
~ 1776 Christian
