18 May We Will Rise!
Last fall two category five hurricanes left a path of destruction across the Caribbean. We watched as communities were forever changed. Disaster has a way of aligning our vision to eternity; this home is temporal.
Storyline traveled to two of the worst hit nations, Antigua & Barbuda and Dominica. We presented support from generous partners, praying for God to multiply our loaves and fish.
Hitting the center of the island and hovering for hours, Hurricane Maria destroyed Dominica’s infrastructure. Rivers and mudslides partnered with the hurricane to destroy even more. Storyline worked alongside a Trinidadian organization to purchase supplies to construct homes for seven families.
Hurricane Irma hit Barbuda in September, leveling the island and forcing complete evacuation. The storm has become a hand of change, creating tension from the old way of life to that of projected development. Working with a local church, we provided resources to repair a community education center.
In Acts 11, there was a great famine all over the world. The Church in Antioch sent Paul and Barnabas with relief to their brothers and sisters in Judea, to help carry the burden they faced. The vision of Storyline is to accelerate missions sending from the reached to those unreached with the Gospel. Like the Antioch Church, Storyline felt it was our role to shift our vision of mobilization temporarily to come alongside the Body of Christ in the Caribbean Church. Isaiah reminds us of that we will indeed rise from destruction through Christ.
“Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you. See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you. Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn.”Isaiah 60:1-3
Families have begun to return to Codrington, Barbuda, many living in temporary homes. In the center of the town is a community church that hosted a Storyline Seminar just six months after the hurricane hit. As we taught, we looked out to a crowd of those affected by a disaster side by side with disaster relief workers Samaritans’ Purse. It was humbling and overwhelming. All were in agreement that God’s glory will reign in areas that have yet to hear the name of Jesus.
Jesus alone is our source of light and hope. Through Christ, not only will the Caribbean arise, but they will continue to unpack their role in bringing light to those living in darkness. God can take destruction and repurpose it for His glory throughout the Caribbean and to the ends of the earth!