How could I not help my neighbours?

Pam Denlinger

Hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, forest fires--I would read about these disasters and how Mennonite Disaster Service (MDS) helped the people affected. I would idly ask at our church how we could get involved. Nobody seemed to know. Someone said, "You have to call someone, but we don't know who." Time would pass, something else would hit the front page, and my interest would flag.

This time, however, floods were lapping at my doorstep. Reports were coming in that the nearby Ohio River was rapidly rising. People in outlying areas had begun to report flash flooding unlike anything they had ever experienced. Loss of property was severe.

When our pastor called and asked if I could join an MDS representative at a Red Cross meeting, I was eager to go. Perhaps now I could find out how MDS worked, who made it happen and how they decided where to help. I would just observe and maybe drive one or two people around some of the more remote counties, I thought. This was around March 7.

As I write this, it is April 8, and my head is spinning. I have met more Mennonites with more skills in this short time than I would have thought possible. We have located a vacant building to use as a base; renovated the building; built a kitchen, two shower rooms and lavatories; rewired for additional electric needs; repaired the boiler; washed the flood lines off the walls; repaired the roof; and fixed the leaking pipes. We were now ready for MDS volunteers to arrive and begin repairing and rebuilding the community. Up to 50 short and long-term volunteers are now working in five small towns and part of the city of Cincinnati.

So, what did I find out about MDS? Their secret is they never asked what I was willing to do, but instead asked if I wanted to come and see for myself. After driving about 200 miles that first day and talking to one person after another affected by the flood, there was no question of not helping. No longer could I stop and ask if I could do this. No longer could I step aside because someone else was probably going to do it. I realized everyone else in MDS had been in my position at one time. They had not looked around for that "someone else" to do it. How could I not help? How could I have continued to worship if I didn't help? If it wasn't the right time and place now, then it never would be.

So no, I really don't want to drive out again tomorrow. But I'm going because I can't justify to God doing anything else.

Pam Denlinger is a member of Cincinnati (Ohio) Mennonite Fellowship. This article was distributed by Mennonite Central Committee in April, 1997.


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