Don't get me wrong...
I'm just wondering how the type of education, and where you received it... excludes it form being questioned??
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I'm just wondering how the type of education, and where you received it... excludes it form being questioned??
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Disaster relief chainsaw volunteers needed
- Thread starter blkcloud
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stihly dan
Addicted to ArboristSite
spidey must be smartah, everyone knows the closer to the Northeast you are, the smahtah you ah.
flyboy553
Oakaholic
This is getting way off topic. This is supposed to be about disaster relief, not who was educated where and how much. Start a thread on that so you can argue over there.
Ted
Ted
How sad . It's very telling of our society. Today when people hassle and bash a guy who has a higher calling to help people selflessly who are in need in the name of God . If everybody felt that way we would have no Red Cross salvation army Samaritans hospitals or city soup kitchens. Or homeless ministries ..I realize there's no shortage of God haters but If you don't have any respect for your creator you can at least have some respect for the fact somebody is willing to step out of their comfort zone and trying to do good in a hurting world. .if A group of do gooders offends you then you need to get your heart right ..shame on you ..so he hands out a gospel message to tell people about Gods love with the firewood . Are you worried the homeowner might begin to read it and not desire to steal lie cheat or curse and begin to love their neighbor. ? Oh and Judge not lest ye be judged when read in context refers to not criticize your fellow Christian neighbors spirituality the bible actually tells us to judge using righteous judgement and expose darkness . The real reason atheists cry foul and hate being judged is because they know inside they are guilty . All guilty people hate judgement
People affected by disasters can be very vulnerable and raw. Many of them feel besieged by gawkers, news crews, insurance adjusters, contractors, sales people, local/state/federal government workers, misinformation, etc., etc., etc. What may be intended as comforting by one, may be perceived as offensive or intrusive by the recipient. Disaster workers need to focus on what the affected/victims/survivors (different terms used) want or need, not what the responders want or need to share with them.
Ministry and pastoral care can be a very important part of personal or family recovery after an event that can shake one's faith. But there is a difference between making this available, and pressing one's own beliefs when they are not welcomed. If they are already involved in a local congregation, that is who they trust and where they want to turn - not necessarily outsiders. In some cases it can be a delicate balance. In other cases it is clear. It is one of the reasons law enforcement is leery of letting even well intentioned, outside volunteers into a disaster area (aside from the looters, con artists, etc.).
It is not necessarily anti-Christian. There can be people of many different faiths or beliefs in these positions. Some of which, you may find offensive.
If your faith drives you to volunteer to help that is great. Demonstrate that by your acts of charity, which have a bigger impact than words or pamphlets. But you must also respect the faith and beliefs of the people you are going to help, even if they conflict with yours.
I have been very impressed how, in most cases, people of different faiths, including atheists and agnostics, and 'traditional rivals', can come together and focus on helping these people, and not on the issues that divide them.
Philbert
(Photo Caption: MUSLIMS, JEWS, CHRISTIANS, AGNOSTICS, 21-76 YEARS OLD HAPPILY WORKING TOGETHER TO CHANGE THE WORLD. INCREDIBLE DAY - Moore, Oklahoma)
Ministry and pastoral care can be a very important part of personal or family recovery after an event that can shake one's faith. But there is a difference between making this available, and pressing one's own beliefs when they are not welcomed. If they are already involved in a local congregation, that is who they trust and where they want to turn - not necessarily outsiders. In some cases it can be a delicate balance. In other cases it is clear. It is one of the reasons law enforcement is leery of letting even well intentioned, outside volunteers into a disaster area (aside from the looters, con artists, etc.).
It is not necessarily anti-Christian. There can be people of many different faiths or beliefs in these positions. Some of which, you may find offensive.
If your faith drives you to volunteer to help that is great. Demonstrate that by your acts of charity, which have a bigger impact than words or pamphlets. But you must also respect the faith and beliefs of the people you are going to help, even if they conflict with yours.
I have been very impressed how, in most cases, people of different faiths, including atheists and agnostics, and 'traditional rivals', can come together and focus on helping these people, and not on the issues that divide them.
Philbert
(Photo Caption: MUSLIMS, JEWS, CHRISTIANS, AGNOSTICS, 21-76 YEARS OLD HAPPILY WORKING TOGETHER TO CHANGE THE WORLD. INCREDIBLE DAY - Moore, Oklahoma)
We heard the need for mud shovelers over the radio for the worst thing we went to. We is me and a friend. The radio reported a need for people who could do physical labor. There was a shortage. I think of it as a mini-Katrina. People had never had flooding before where their houses were. There was one woman who had floated on a chest of drawers INSIDE HER HOUSE all night, and survived. We have areas where it is not unusual to flood, but that year a big slide came down and caused unusual flooding along with the 14 inches of rain in that watershed. We had to wait until we were allowed to drive out of our own valley, which had some mudslides big enough to make the national news.
The people who were affected hadn't been sitting around. They had been trying to salvage what they could, Neighbors had gotten their tractors running, the National Guard was helping out, but there was a shortage of able bodied people to shovel mud out of the houses. That's what floods leave behind, about 6 inches of smelly mud.
It is hard to explain the mental state they were in. I'll just say it was fragile. What Philbert is saying is correct. Nobody tried to convert anybody, we all had assigned work to do. I guess I'm trying to say that you need to take care in what you say to people in such situations. They are tired and frazzled and have every right to be that way. Put yourself in their place. What shape would you be in?
Go forth and saw, but be careful and respectful.
The people who were affected hadn't been sitting around. They had been trying to salvage what they could, Neighbors had gotten their tractors running, the National Guard was helping out, but there was a shortage of able bodied people to shovel mud out of the houses. That's what floods leave behind, about 6 inches of smelly mud.
It is hard to explain the mental state they were in. I'll just say it was fragile. What Philbert is saying is correct. Nobody tried to convert anybody, we all had assigned work to do. I guess I'm trying to say that you need to take care in what you say to people in such situations. They are tired and frazzled and have every right to be that way. Put yourself in their place. What shape would you be in?
Go forth and saw, but be careful and respectful.
I was not able to go to Colorado for the recent floods, but convinced a friend in Boulder to volunteer. She e-mailed me back, "I never realized mud was so HEAVY!!!"
I can also tell you that just the act of showing up is an enormous comfort to those affected. After the first few days, when the TV crews have moved on to some other event, and their homes are still scattered across several acres or buried in mud and muck, just the fact that someone they don't know cares enough to travel and spend their personal time to help is very powerful.
It also lets you realize how lucky most of us are when our homes are not in that situation.
JMHO
Philbert
I can also tell you that just the act of showing up is an enormous comfort to those affected. After the first few days, when the TV crews have moved on to some other event, and their homes are still scattered across several acres or buried in mud and muck, just the fact that someone they don't know cares enough to travel and spend their personal time to help is very powerful.
It also lets you realize how lucky most of us are when our homes are not in that situation.
JMHO
Philbert
Squintacular
ArboristSite Lurker
I live 10 minutes from Augusta in Aiken SC. I am not sure that some of you know how bad it actually is down here with the trees down. Literally 1000's of trees down in Aiken and Augusta alone. These are 100-150 year old Oaks and Pines (monster trees) City officials are welcoming people to take care of some of the work that needs to be done. If someone wants to help by all means help, I am tired of driving around trees in the middle of the road.
Our passes are a mess. I don't want to pull my trailer over them.
And when the roads are good, it'll be too hot there to cut. I am made for cool weather.Here is another good point about well meaning people and disasters (just showed up in my e-mail, by chance): charities that spring up following an event. Some are well intentioned. Some are outright rip-offs/scams. Some are well intentioned, but inexperienced, and wind up being ineffective, wasteful, or actually causing additional problems.
This is not to tell anyone who to give their money to - just suggesting that they know the group before hand, and not just respond to a plea from someone/some group they never heard of.
Some good tips below (regardless of what you may think of FEMA as an agency):
http://www.fema.gov/volunteer-donate-responsibly
Philbert
This is not to tell anyone who to give their money to - just suggesting that they know the group before hand, and not just respond to a plea from someone/some group they never heard of.
Some good tips below (regardless of what you may think of FEMA as an agency):
http://www.fema.gov/volunteer-donate-responsibly
Philbert
Sometimes it's just best to suspend judgement- the "first stone" thing. And good not to get too full of oneself. Just saying.
We have had several other threads about volunteer storm clean up work. Here are some which might be of interest:
http://www.arboristsite.com/community/threads/my-disaster-relief-load-out.171150/
http://www.arboristsite.com/community/threads/rules-to-storm-scavenging-wood.179652/
http://www.arboristsite.com/community/threads/advice-for-tornado-clean-up-volunteers.171089/
There were also a couple specifically on potential negative reactions from for-profit tree services working in the same area.
Philbert
http://www.arboristsite.com/community/threads/my-disaster-relief-load-out.171150/
http://www.arboristsite.com/community/threads/rules-to-storm-scavenging-wood.179652/
http://www.arboristsite.com/community/threads/advice-for-tornado-clean-up-volunteers.171089/
There were also a couple specifically on potential negative reactions from for-profit tree services working in the same area.
Philbert
deerlakejens
ArboristSite Operative
Through HS in WI in the 60's and 70's, Purdue in the 70's. Things were a little different back then. Still have a lake cabin in N WI, some things seem just stuck in time when we are back. Lived in Adel, IA for a few years, calling on NAPA stores so I got into about every burg in the state. Still miss the cheese and onion hash browns at MaidRite but not enough to move back. You are in the best part of IA, it is as much like WI as your state has to offer!
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