Moravian disaster response organizes for future service

First of all, I want to thank my Lord and Savior for being faithful to me and the lives of those who have given of their time and money to serve those who are in need, not only on the Gulf Coast but also around the world! We as Moravians continue to serve those who have been affected by natural disasters but we do not want to forget those people who are in need in our own communities, least we fail to share the love of Christ at home as well!

Having served with most of the major faith-based organizations that currently have operations on the Gulf Coast I have come to the conclusion they all have done an outstanding job of setting up networks and administration to come to the aid of victims of tragedy and to support the volunteers who respond. They have also set up extensive case management systems to assess priorities in all phases of disaster response. We as Moravians simply need to recruit and send the best prepared and trained volunteers we possibly can! In the future I want to hear from those organizations we have served alongside, “those Moravians are well prepared and can get the job done”!

Opportunities: What activities will people have to participate in the mission of Moravian Disaster Response (MDR)?

As the work continues to rebuild from Hurricane Katrina, there will be for the next few years a need to send volunteers on a regular basis. The short-term response is still working to repair as many homes as can be repaired. Some, in fact, many of the houses that were damaged, were demolished. The long-term response will be to identify those in need of new homes. This will be accomplished through partnership with Habitat for Humanity and the other organizations we are currently working alongside.

As the need for volunteers to build or rebuild continues, the need for volunteers to recruit and train those volunteers is increasing. The opportunity to serve as a Regional Volunteer Coordinator (RVC) is another service opportunity. The expansion of our RVC network will be crucial for our work in the future.

To send the best prepared teams possible, workshops will be held in each general area of disaster relief. This includes not only every aspect of building, framing, roofing, plumbing, electrical, and drywall but also areas of safety, first aid, and hospitality. Special care will be given in the areas of spiritual counseling and sharing our faith, to be able to respond to the spiritual and emotional needs of those being served. Qualified persons who are highly skilled in his or her field will be identified to hold these workshops in all regions of the North American Moravian Church and beyond if requested. The office of the Director of Volunteer Ministries will facilitate these workshops.

To ensure all regions of our North American Church are covered by MDR, there will be the need to establish regional chapters of MDR. This will give each of these regions the ability to respond to any local disaster as it arises and to assess what needs there will be for the whole of MDR to respond. These local chapters, while not responding to a disaster, would be challenged to work in and around their own communities to seek out those in need and respond to those needs. Each Regional MDR Chapter will be responsible for acquiring the needed equipment and recruiting those individuals who will be the first responders. Help with the purchase of these tools and equipment could come from grants from our different supporting agencies such as Mission Society of the Moravian Church South, Bethlehem Area Moravians, and the UBC (United Brethren’s Congregation).

Impact: How will this make a difference?

The impact of MDR’s current activity is two-fold. First, people in need are not only receiving what they need in the way of material items such as housing, food, and clothing but more importantly they are receiving hope, making them able to move forward as they put their lives back together! The other impact, the most important work, is how this affects our own Moravian Church. By serving others, we are serving Him; we are His hands and feet, a living presence of our Lord, the Body of Christ. As Christians this is what we are called to be.

Colossians 1:27 says, “Christ in us, the hope of glory.” As we give ourselves as living sacrifices we begin to see more clearly what God’s will truly is for our lives. Romans 12:1-2 tells us that this is our spiritual act of worship. Not only is God glorified, but as we serve, He is revealed to others in a way that I pray would lead others to Him! We also begin to become one in Spirit not only with each other but more importantly we become one with Him! The simple truth is that lives are being changed forever!

In what way does this plan help MDR fulfill The Great Commission?

At the heart of this plan, all authority is given to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, to do as He chooses, to call on His Church to respond to His will! As we respond and serve, we are obedient to the command to go forth into all nations! As we continue to search for ways to be prepared to serve, we are becoming disciples. As disciples we serve our fellow man with all that He has supplied us with, teaching them all He has commanded us, and leading them to the saving knowledge of a living, personal relationship with Jesus Christ and hopefully to become a disciple as well! This is the Church being the Church, the living breathing presence of our Lord and Savior here on earth! And the promise from Him is that, “surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Will you covenant with me in this ministry? Do you hear God calling you to serve Him and the World in this way? Then I want to hear from you, each and everyone of you! Call or write me or see me in Mississippi.
May He receive all glory and honor forever more, Amen!
By His grace and to His glory do I live!

Mark Ebert, Director of Volunteer Ministries, Board of World Mission