Disaster Response Ministry: When Blue Skies Turn Gray

 

Douglas Hoy, Conference Disaster Response Coordinator

In emergency management circles, references are often made about an organization’s status in “blue skies” and “gray skies.” The term “blue skies” refers to how that organization conducts its normal, day-to-day operations without the direct threat of an emergency or disaster. Those operations involve building and maintaining capabilities for when disasters, or “gray skies,” strike. In carrying out their responsibilities, emergency managers utilize a four-phase model to prepare for, respond to and recover from disasters. The phases include mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery.


Mitigation involves taking steps to avoid or minimize the cause and consequences of disasters. Preparedness involves planning and training for those things that are not able to be mitigated. The response phase takes place immediately after the disaster occurs and focuses on the personal safety and wellbeing of those in the community. The duration of the response and its effectiveness is directly related to the amount of mitigation and preparation that has occurred. And, in the recovery phase, efforts are made to restore our lives and communities. The important thing to keep in mind about this cycle is that it is never ending and communities are always involved in at least one of the phases.

Similarly, we all experience the “blue skies” and “gray skies” of life. Just as natural disasters impact our communities; personal disasters can have a negative effect on our lives. 

We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. (2 Corinthians 4:8-9).

Like the emergency manager, we can implement a spiritual four-phase model—to mitigate, prepare for, respond to and recover—to develop our spiritual maturity and find …the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, [that] will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7)

Using spiritual emergency management, we can take the mitigation steps necessary to remove the causes and consequences of disaster from our lives. For those things that we cannot mitigate, we turn to prayer and Scripture to prepare us. And, when we find ourselves suffering in the middle of a crisis, we respond and recover by focusing on Christ.

1 Peter 4:12–13 tells us we should not be surprised by the ordeals we face and encourages us to rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. God will use the trials we face to cultivate our character and grow our ministry. And, in turn, we can minister to others during their “gray skies.”

Douglas Hoy, Disaster Response Coordinator
717-766-7441, ext. 3402
drc@susumc.org

Website: www.susmb.org
Facebook: @SUSDisasterResponse
Twitter: @UMCDisResp
Disaster Response Ministry Blog:  susdisasterresponse.blogspot.com/

Popular posts from this blog

Planning for Disaster Response Victories

Image
  Planning for Disaster Response Victories Douglas Hoy, Conference Disaster Response Coordinator In most sports, the coach prepares the team for a game by developing a plan. This blueprint outlines the strategies and tactics to which players will adhere and execute during competition. Using a plan clearly defines roles and responsibilities, establishes goals, and guides the team toward success. When disaster strikes, it is equally important to have a plan and allow God to bless it for success. This was particularly evident when major flooding swept through the Clarks Summit area (Scranton/Wilkes-Barre District) on September 9 th , catching many people off guard. As a result, nearly 300 individuals and/or families in and around this community just outside Scranton found themselves wondering how to address their wet basements and damaged property. And, when the call for help went out, the response to meeting this need mirrored the work of a well-practiced team entering competition. In th
Read more

Sitting at the Crossroads of Life

Image
Commentary: Sitting at the Crossroads of Life By Douglas Hoy, Disaster Response Coordinator Have you ever found yourself sitting at a crossroad in life, wondering what to do? You know you can’t just sit there. You need to make a decision. Does your life’s path require you to continue in the direction you are traveling? Maybe you need a clear change in your circumstances and need to consider turning left or right. Or, are you so far away from your starting point, that returning to the familiar might be the best option. These crossroads in life can take many forms and cause us to struggle. Fear, sadness, anger and grief begin to creep into our lives. And, when these emotions begin to take over, we lose sight of our destination or the path to it. Margaret Benefiel states In her book, Crisis Leadership , that it is at this point we should “sit still long enough and be quiet” and allow God to do amazing things around us. Resist the urge to forge ahead under the assumption that the road we a
Read more

Commentary: In the Master’s Hands

Image
Commentary: In the Master’s Hands Douglas Hoy, Conference Disaster Response Coordinator I remember attending the Pennsylvania Farm Show a few years ago and viewing the butter sculpture on display in the Main Hall. I was always amazed at how much time and effort went into creating these dairy displays. The sculpture for the 2023 annual show took fourteen days to create and, the sculptors spent that time creating their masterpiece in an enclosure cooled to a temperature between 50 and 60 degrees. It’s quite a contrast to the artists at outdoor festivals whom I’ve watched create ice or wood sculptures in a fraction of that time, in very different conditions, using some very rudimentary tools. In both instances, the result was a wonderful piece of art. God works in much the same way. Sometimes it takes Him years to sculpt us into a masterpiece. He pulls away the layers slowly and methodically to give us our spiritual shape. Other times, He is very capable of transforming our lives overni
Read more