Remembering Hurricane Katrina

[Renee Williams]

August 29th marks the 3rd anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. Let us all take a moment to stop and reflect, remember, and pray for all those affected by the storm.

[Wil]

Renee,

Thank you so much for remembering this day, and adding this discussion to The People's Lounge. With all of the political news the past week, and the historical enormity and excitement associated with each of the tickets, it seems that Hurricane Katrina, and the destruction that she caused, has not received her justified remembrance on this, as you so thoughtfully reflected upon, her 3rd anniversary.

I for one, will never forget the day it happened.

The night before, as I was watching the news, I recalled how absolutely enormous the storm appeared as it grew in strength, and diameter... it appeared to consume the entire Gulf of Mexico and I thought... I have never seen something so large and foreboding— I went to sleep... praying that it would miss New Orleans. I prayed...

I awoke early the next morning and snapped to attention in front of my television set, and turned it on— WOW! The early accounts via all of the major news and weather agencies was that "Katrina had veered away from, and MISSED New Orleans... Katrina has appeared to miss the great city of New Orleans... I thanked Father... thank you Lord, I muttered to myself... then I got ready for and proceeded to drive to a morning meeting that I had scheduled.

20-30 minutes down the road, listening to National Public Radio as I often do, I heard the dreaded words— A SPECIAL NEWS ANNOUNCEMENT! The reporter said: "ALTHOUGH HURRICANE KATRINA DID NOT MAKE A DIRECT LANDING ON THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS, THE OCEAN SURGE, CAUSED BY KATRINA HAS BREACHED SEVERAL LEVEES AND THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS IS FLOODING... AND ENTIRE NEIGHBORHOODS ARE UNDER WATER...

I was stunned and in disbelief, but had no idea, or concept of the severity of the flooding as I only heard radio reports and had not seen the pictures... until I arrived home, from my meeting a couple of hours later....

I will never forget what my eyes saw over the next many minutes, that turned to hours, that turned into days. This event was unprecedented in our collective lifetimes. I watched every minute of television coverage from 3 hours into the officially reported flooding... to the very end, and then some more. Stunned, frightened, saddened, shocked, horrified, angry, frustrated, helpless, petrified and in utter disbelief and sorrow... and it got worse. Much worse than I could have ever imagined... and I also felt hopeful, wishful, compassion, resolution, love, respect, brotherhood, and caring... and I witnessed heroism and bravery and selflessness... but still, I cried, and cried...

Thank you, Renee, for remembering "Hurricane Katrina". I pray for everyone affected, in New Orleans and the other states and regions that it devastated, who's citezens still need our acute assistance, and remembrance, and respect and, prayers— so that they are never forgotten. Displaced from our discourse. They still need our help.

Peace be with you, Wil/TPL

[Mike Beirne]

Thank you, Renee, for the timely and thoughtful discussion.
Gracias to Wil for your words of support for the people in the
path of Hurricane Gustav. To our collective prayers, may I add
our brothers and sisters in the Caribbean - they have already
been hit by Gustav and now start the burying and rebuilding.

My colleagues and friends in Kingstown Jamaica checked in to
my company yesterday. It was a great relief to know they are all
fine. They have power, safe shelter and even internet access-
PTL! Some were evacuated - but they say most of the damage
and fatalities happened in the mountain towns, not the big cities.
Most are back in their homes already.

Gustav has killed more than 70 people as it crossed the Dominican
Republic, Haiti and Jamaica. Thankfully, no deaths were reported
from the Cayman Islands- but it is bearing down on Cuba right now.

Be safe, be strong- our thoughts and prayers are with you all-

Mike

[wizthom]

why is mankind always honoring death if it's not with idols flowers,crosses ,alters,then it is with self serving words,why not celebrate life ,,even God himself said in the end he will throw the dark one and death into fires of no-more,Jesus often preached on the agony of being born into a sinful world,,while living the joys of leaving it for freedom is only found when ur spirit is no longer contained ,
it's a shame how we hear the wisdom of life while worshiping the darkness of death,,i say let the dead bury the dead peace,,wizthom sooner or later we will listen to god instead of ourselves

dear God mankind has killed all your leaders
i am the last of the peace keepers,
i pray your mercy you show ,
for what they do they do not know,
hush hush he is coming,
hush hush foot steps nearing


earth shaking , mass flooding,
storming seas a raging
shut up i speaking

out of control forest fires
,pestilence,famine,
shut up i am speaking .

deceases, mugging,drugging,
each generation worst,
than the one before.
rumors of war,
chaos in places unheard of,

shut up i am speaking,
i placed you in charge,
creatures of the land ,
fowls of the air,
all that dwells beneath the sea,
and how do you thank me,

through arrogance greed and malice,
I'm sending the four horsemen ,
I'm sending the wind hail storms upon you,
flood beyond all proportions
i will have the mountain crumble down on you
if u keep up with this contentious abuse,

tried separated you still you refuse,
to let peace shine through ..
you say it's my fault ,
for making the dark one so powerful,
you do not know how wrong you are,
what i took from the angel i gave to you,
free will freedom of choice,
you hear me yet you want listen to my voice,

floods droughts mountain shooting fire.
shut up i am speaking,
hunger world wide food shortages,
shut up i am speaking,

rivers drying up.forest dying,
changing of the climate
shut up i am speaking

all this killing raping of the land,
only so much more,
will i let stand

waging war on each other,
sons against fathers ,
daughters against mothers,

why do you keep breaking my heart,
you will cause the stars to fall,
shut up i am speaking,
wisemanspeeks hush ,
you had better listen ,,peace wizthomo8







LOVE IS THE FORCE ,THAT RULES US ALL,,

[Author Terra Little]

Thanks for this discussion, Renee. I remember watching the television coverage of the devastation and feeling such helplessness and despair. The country has many events to be ashamed of and this one is at the top of the list. I pray that we never forget and never repeat...

[diana]

Wil did you relaise that the hurricane was threatening NO again whne you wrote this?

I was sad to hear that another big storm is bearing down on the same area.

my thoughts and prayers to all in the affected area

[Wil]

On the eve of Hurricane Gustav's landing upon the Southern coastline of the United States, may God's grace push the storm to a place where the least amount of damage will be rendered upon the most people... this is my prayer. †