A friend of mine is executive pastor at a church in Valparaiso, Ind. He and his wife both grew up around Tuscaloosa, Ala., and her mom teaches at the University of Alabama. When the tornado ripped through Tuscaloosa and other towns nearby, they felt it. The same thing happened when hurricane Katrina went through southern Mississippi and Alabama — they were hurt by what happened in their home state and by the devastation that occurred along the Gulf Coast. They felt it. Why? Because it was home. These were their people. It affected their friends, their families and their neighbors; and they responded in kind.
I’m not sure how many trips they have taken to Tuscaloosa to help with the repair and rebuilding efforts, but I can guarantee, when they aren’t there physically, they are there in spirit.
Nouwen says, “As individuals we cannot be everything to everyone, but as a community we can indeed serve a great variety of needs.”
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