Rebuilding after a disaster

By Christine Bryant, Lay Minister, St John’s

Around 30 years ago I used to listen to Alistair Cooke’s weekly broadcast, Letter from America. These letters were an eclectic mix which often took as their starting point a small event which he teased out until he got to the big idea.

Recently I chanced upon a copy of his book of the same name. As I scanned it, I came across an article from 23 September 1988, entitled Hurricanes. Cooke refers to a massive storm which did frightful damage from Jamaica through Mexico to Oklahoma. The worst hit areas received six months’ rainfall in 24 hours, the flooding was unbelievable and there were over 200 deaths, mostly in Mexico.

On March 23 I read an article, A Poisoned Chalice. It marked 20 years since the invasion of Iraq by the US and UK. It described the “burn pits” at American bases in which anything from batteries to human waste, plastic ration packs and refrigerators were burned. The resultant thick, black air was, unsurprisingly, toxic – both to the people who breathed it and to the soil. The locals are still dealing with ongoing medical conditions and infertile soil. The first goal of the war, to topple Saddam Hussein, was achieved quite quickly. But into the vacuum stepped Isis and a weak, central government unable to control the radicals without American weapons. Iraq is still struggling to achieve viability, as Michael Palin’s latest book, Into Iraq, about his journey along the Euphrates river makes clear.

Whether natural or man-made disaster, the cost to inhabitants and to the environment is long-term and significant. This is what the people of the East Coast are now learning. For many, a catastrophic storm has wiped out the ability to live in their houses or earn a living off their land for the foreseeable future. They face a long, tough period of reconstruction. In the Old Testament, the kingdom of Babylon (roughly Iraq today), rose to the top, conquered Assyria, Egypt and a rebellious Israel. Nebuchadnezzar took more than 10,000 Hebrew slaves back to Babylon, destroyed their holy city of Jerusalem and captured their holiest possession, The Ark of the Covenant. Into this hopeless situation comes the prophet, Ezekiel. He sees a valley of Dry Bones – there is no way these bones can live. Yet God tells Ezekiel to prophesy to the bones and they will come together: bone to bone, tendons to connect them, flesh and skin to cover them. Ezekiel does as he is commanded, but they are still lifeless. waipanetworks.co.nz/aerialsurvey

“Prophesy to the breath, o son of man” God says. Ezekiel obeys. Infused with the breath of God’s spirit, the bones come to life, arrayed like a mighty army. Thus, God shows Israel that the situation is not hopeless. The nation will be restored, step by step, with God’s help.

Likewise, the people of the East Coast should not despair in this current catastrophe. Reconstruction will be possible over time, but God will not wave a magic wand to make it happen. After 70 years of exile, it took a concerted effort by the whole nation of Israel to rebuild Jerusalem and the temple.

Today we also must all play our part to ensure the victims of Cyclone Gabrielle rebuild their lives. The initial outpouring of goods and money has been fantastic, but it is sustained support that is needed now.