Ocean Springs Trip

We had a call first thing this morning, and it got our attention immediately. Someone from the community called and reported a suicide about 2 miles from the church. The other pastor, Mark from Le Crosse, WI, and I responded.

We drove to the house of the woman who called. It turns out that it had happened a day or two ago. Nonetheless, she said that she had been to the church a few weeks ago, and she was thanking the church for all that they had done to help. She said that a woman with three children a street or two over had committed suicide by, "hanging herself out back." Then came the startlingly honest statement, "I almost did that too, when it looked like things weren't working out, but thanks to your help and the insurance company coming through, I feel much better. I am going to be alright now."

The other woman hadn't been as lucky in with her insurance. Not only that, but she was in New Orleans for the hurricane, apparently, and her mom's home was destroyed - she was staying there as she was getting divorced. She returned home, convinced her husband to move out, and now was losing everything because the insurance wasn't going to help.

I don't know what moves a person to take her or his own life. I do know something powerful that may help prevent it. Hope.

"The Christians" are the only ones around here who are still trying to help people and give them hope. One person told about someone who came in to Christus Victor at the end of her rope. She was devastated -- and this was within the past few days. The work crew said that she was a completely different person a week later, when they were working on her house, and when they were eating pizza for lunch. She couldn't contain herself.

I'm learning something here. I used to think, "well, that's just 'service'. How can helping someone help them spiritually? Don't you need to proclaim the Gospel?" I'm learning that sometimes just by being who we are as Christians, and helping people who are really at the end of their ropes, you actually do proclaim the Good (saving) News of Jesus Christ through actions. James had it right in the New Testament, I think.

Someone (you don't know him) told me a couple of weeks after the hurricane hit that, "Well, the Bible says that you shouldn't build your house on sand." Well, yes it does, but well, I don't think I can respond beyond that.

When you look into the eyes of someone, anyone around here and ask them about the hurricane, you begin to understand how much of a heartless "tin man" comment that is.

From what I've seen, people haven't just lost a house, a computer at work, a job, or perhaps even a mother to suicide. Many of them (and I mean, just about all of them, if you scratch deep enough) have lost something far more valuable than that.

And what is that? A sense of innocence that everything around you probably won't be ripped away from you in 10 mere hours. And for someone who lost a mother to that as well, I don't see how you can ever fully recover from that.

Even so, I wonder if the Church has anything to say in that darkness. Perhaps, a message of hope, grounded in a man, God made flesh, who can bear all of that and create something new in the ultimate utter darkness of death.

Light and new life in heaven. Brought to us by the hands of one who will forever be scarred by nails and a spear.

New life in the midst of a trauma that will never go away. An empty cross and empty tomb planted in the "hole in the soul." The beginning of healing, or at least, coping.

"How are you doing?"

"I'm alive, alive in Christ."

Thank God that the Church is the one who is still bringing that message, but we need more of us here.

I wanted to write about Biloxi, but that will have to wait for tomorrow.

Please, please, please, pray for the people who live here. It will be years before they can begin to emotionally recover, let alone physically. Seriously.