A "still, small voice" in action

Robert Patton

A Bangladeshi woman squats on the ground with shoulders sagging, sari pulled over her head, tightly clutching her baby-all she has left after Cyclone Sidr ripped through her coastal village, destroying everything in its path. A young ADRA Myanmar staff member, still in her teens, is caught by a huge tidal surge caused by Cyclone Nargis and is swept to her death, leaving an already-poor family struggling to cope with their loss.

These are two small glimpses into the impact disasters have on people. Think about it for a moment. Imagine what it might be like. Picture the scenes in your mind.

"This tsunami was sent by God to open up the area to Christians and destroy the Muslims." "God is punishing these people for their sins; that is why this cyclone was sent." These are statements I have heard spoken by Seventh-day Adventist Christians.

But picture again the suffering of human beings. Is this God in action? Is this what God would want for His created beings?

Obviously, things don't change. In Luke 13:1-5, Jesus refers to a couple of topical events-the execution of a group of Galileans by Pilate and the collapse of a tower at Siloam, killing 18 people. The thinking back then was that those killed were the worst sinners, implying that this was God's judgment on them. But Jesus makes it clear this is not the case-those killed were no worse than anyone else. In Matthew 5:45, Jesus says, "This is what God does. He gives His best-the sun to warm and the rain to nourish-to everyone, regardless: the good and bad, the nice and nasty" (The Message).

Do we see God in at least some of the disasters happening around us? I recall the story of Elijah, recorded in 1 Kings 19. Here we read about the persecution the prophet Elijah was suffering at the hands of Queen Jezebel. When he hears she wants to kill him, he runs for his life and eventually ends up in a cave in Horeb. God instructs Elijah to go outside the cave and stand in the presence of the Lord. A mighty and great wind tears the mountain apart-but the Lord was not in the wind. Then there is a powerful earthquake-but the Lord was not in the earthquake.

Then comes a raging fire and the Lord is also not in the fire. So where was God? In the calm and gentle breeze: the still, small voice.

Over the past eight or nine years, I have witnessed firsthand the catastrophic impact of at least six major disasters in the Asia-Pacific region-the most disaster-prone area in the world. About 80 per cent of all deaths caused by disasters are in this region.

I have met and talked with children who are orphaned, parents who have lost children and elderly people who are left totally alone. I have observed people who have sustained terrible injuries, seen those who are hungry, and witnessed people with no clean water to drink and no shelter for protection.

It is not unusual for me to share their tears, grief and heartache. And I know no loving God would ever want to inflict this on these people. I know the pain I feel; how much more must God feel?

The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) is an exceptional organisation, with dedicated staff worldwide. In my role, I have worked alongside ADRA employees who have been personally affected by disaster. Despite this, they work tirelessly to meet the survival needs of broken communities and care for them as Jesus would-unconditionally.

There are no thoughts of whether this was a punishment from God and who might be the ones being punished. Quietly they work on, rewarded by the looks of extreme gratitude on people's faces. I am sure I can "hear" the "still, small voice of God" in the actions of those dedicated workers and the people behind them who support this vital work.

Not everyone has the opportunity or skills to directly help those affected by disasters or crises. However, everyone can help by giving generously to the annual ADRA
Disaster and Famine Relief Offering being collected in Adventist churches next week, May 23. Please give to save a precious life.

Robert Patton is the Manager of Emergency Management for ADRA New Zealand.

This has been an editorial from Record, May 16, 2009

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