PASTOR DAVE’S MUSINGS FROM THE HEARTLAND

October 13, 2024

HURRICANE HELENE (Part I)

The Power of Nature

In the beginning the earth is described as a hurricane at night at sea.  The whole creation is chaotic.  “Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit (Wind) of God was hovering over the waters (Genesis 1:2).”  At the end of September those living in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina experienced the furry and power of nature as Hurricane Helene brought havoc and destruction.  The hurricane ravaged the states with winds, rains, floods, mud-slides and untold carnage.

Diane and I got a taste of the power of nature March of 2018.  Water started to enter our lower level through the septic system.  Before it was done, we had 18” inches of water.  The flood was due to a combination of snow melting, the ground being frozen, and unusually heavy rains for several days.  We lost our furnace, hot water heater, washer, dryer, and the electricity in the lower level.  Mold was a real issue.  Fortunately, the water quickly started to recede so that we could get on with the business of clean up and repair.  From our experience, I have somewhat of a hint what those who experienced Hurricane Helene, especially those in North Carolina, are going through.

Ever since Europeans began to settle North American there has been an extensive effort to remake the land to accommodate a variety of interests.  There have been massive infrastructure projects to build roads, provide water and sewage, and supply utilities.  A great deal of the destruction from Hurricane Helene was to the infrastructure making it impossible for people to travel, communicate, or just to have the basics of life.  What man has spent decades building, nature destroyed in a day.

From September 1974 until June 1979, I was the pastor of the United Methodist Covenant Parish.  Three of the churches were located in Jasper County and one was in White County. One spring, we had excessive rains.  When farmers began to work their fields, they discovered that their equipment was getting stuck in sink holes.  At one time the Kankakee River drained one of the largest wetlands in North America.  In the mid-19^th century these wetlands were drained to create cultivated cropland.  The sink holes were nature working to reclaim her wetlands.

For several years I was the pastor of the Kendallville Trinity United Methodist Church.  A part of highway #6 through the north part of town was built over wetlands.  From my experience in Jasper County, every time we would get a good rain, I would wonder if the wetlands which lay beneath highway #6 might reappear and cause havoc.  Nature has a way of thinking of always working to restore herself.

Hurricane Helene is a reminder of the power of nature and how all of our human efforts can be wiped out in a moment.  We would do well to see how we can work with nature rather against her.  Does it make much sense to build homes that we know have a good chance of being destroyed in the next twenty years by a tidal surge? Can I deal with having my home located in a 100-year flood plain?  At least I have to wait 94 years for the next flood!!!!

(Comments may be sent to davidh15503@embarqmail.com.)