Helpless and Hopeless

Roof caved in from Hurricane Melissa

It is unbelievable! Nothing like this has ever happened in Jamaica before. An unprecedented Category 5 hurricane ploughed through the west side of the country, leaving tens of thousands of lives in shambles.  A United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) report earlier this month, stated that 4.8 million tons of debris was left behind in Hurricane Melissa’s destructive path, which has obstructed much needed relief efforts.  Many marooned communities have been left feeling abandoned and forgotten. The mental impact of Hurricane Melissa cannot be quantified.  Not only are the communities that are cut off in emotional distress, but people in areas that have suffered so much loss are numb. They cannot move, they stare into the uncertain future not knowing what to do. They are paralyzed by feelings of helplessness and hopelessness. 

The usual heroes in natural disasters are not feeling that heroic in the wake of Hurricane Melissa. Many have sleepless nights and are exhausted not only physically, but also emotionally and even spiritually. Their task is mammoth, many saying they have never seen destruction like this before.

I saw a lady in one of the news reports who was overwhelmed. She told the reporter frantically, “I came to help, but I can’t, I have to go.” Human despair was too much for her as the smell of death linger through parts of Jamaica. The odor of dead carcasses of livestock and maybe even humans permeate the atmosphere, along with the stench of dead dreams buried under piles of rubble. Homes are debris, schools destroyed, businesses demolished, communities devastated, people dejected.

The country is in anguish, but thankfully there is nothing God can’t do. We can only look to the Lord at this time, because with man it is impossible, but with Him, all things are possible. We have to recognize that it is His great power that will lift us out of the rubble and help us to rise above the waves of destruction that covered the land. With Him we won’t remain crushed.

We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed. 2 Corinthians 4:8-9

I am grateful that I serve a God who can make something out of nothing. He created the world with just His voice. So, we need Him to speak life over Jamaica and breathe into the dry bones created by Hurricane Melissa throughout this land. The Lord can make beauty out of ashes if we surrender to His will and His way.  He can give us the strength, strategy, wisdom and favor to rebuild just like He did for Nehemiah when he was rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem in the face of great opposition.  And like Nehemiah, we must seek the Lord.

When I heard these words, I sat down and wept and mourned for days; and I was fasting and praying before the God of heaven. I said, “I beseech You, O Lord God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who preserves the covenant and lovingkindness for those who love Him and keep His commandments, let Your ear now be attentive and Your eyes open to hear the prayer of Your servant which I am praying before You now, day and night, on behalf of the sons of Israel Your servants, confessing the sins of the sons of Israel which we have sinned against You; I and my father’s house have sinned... They are Your servants and Your people whom You redeemed by Your great power and by Your strong hand. O Lord, I beseech You, may Your ear be attentive to the prayer of Your servant and the prayer of Your servants who delight to revere Your name, and make Your servant successful today and grant him compassion before this man.” Nehemiah 1:4-6, 10-11

We need Jamaicans who are willing to rise up to fast and pray to the Lord in a posture of repentance, so they will obediently follow the Lord’s lead as He guides them to not only rebuild walls, but also people who are feeling helpless and hopeless.