CATASTROPHE HAS VISITED US AT HOME...

...In the world you have tribulation, trials, distress and frustration;... John 16:33
but when we ask as we are taught to ask... what we need is promised to be
provided if we cooperate with the answers.

Arbitrary - that force which comes which we cannot resist, change nor control...
like the weather (my application).

In this case we had much warning.  We knew it was most powerful.  We had a
good indication of where it was going to make landfall.  Life in this world is full
of incidents that we cannot control... we can only prepare and react.  This week
has  brought much suffering and tremendous pain.  Peace Keeping is tried
beyond previously known limits in New Orleans. 

The great cry comes forth from the stricken inhabitants... "HELP US!"
and the same cry comes from government on local, state and federal levels.
King David oft uttered such a prayer... "Help, Lord!".   For the devastated area
help is pouring in and survivors are being moved out to safe places.

People who do not know nor understand logistics weep, wail and blame... because
lack of the basics of sustaining life... and the horrible threats to life... they weep, cry
out... and then lash out... this is basic human behavior in such crisis... and in some
humans it can become most destructive.

People who do know act as quickly and efficiently as possible.  In such a state of
affairs lawlessness comes to public view in images broadcast all over the world
and into our lives wherever we are... terrorism arises on the home front practiced
by thugs who cannot be controlled for the moment created by  the catastrophe.  
Hundreds of thousands suffer... not able to obtain even the basics of life....
Jammed together in facilities where there is no water to drink... no food to eat...
no working toilet facilities... no medical assistance...  The air is filled with thick,
heavy, stale, suffocating stench... function of human bodies cannot be stopped...
and the needs of human bodies cannot be met.  Animal survival instincts take over. 

In the midst of all the chaos... overwhelmed Peace Keepers try and preserve life...
preserving  law and property has to wait for a time as life is preserved under the
most trying of conditions.  It was and is a miraculously fine job that they
accomplished considering they were in the effort of personal survival for themselves
and their own families also.

I have watched, prayed and hurt for the state of conditions under which our
fellow Peace Keepers have to live and function... and as usual the media shows
many, many people crying blame for the officials at all levels... and often the blame
is directed at the most visible representatives... first law enforcement... then the
Coast Guard and the National Guard as they are mobilized for rescue, provision,
restoring and keeping peace.

Looting... firing on helicopters... taking advantage of the weak and unprotected...
injuring law enforcement officers... hindering well being for any citizen when it is
not necessary... roving blatant lawlessness... this is terrorism in raw form... and we
see it being done by our own citizens on our own citizens while all local citizens
are in the same crisis.

Katrina was not the cause of the lawlessness... it was the excuse.  I can understand
foraging for food, water, diapers and what ever else is necessary.  I can understand
anger and lashing out for anger is a common reaction to grief... and what we see is
grief on a massive scale.

If anything is to be said about all of this catastrophe it should be that we have had
another wake up call.  We are not prepared for this type of consequences whether
naturally happening or wrought by the hand of human agency in terrorism.

One important word comes to my thoughts often... learn... learn all we can about
massive disaster preparation... learn all we can as quick as possible about mutual
aid from outside the area of the disaster... learn in advance where we can garner
the most vital items of food, water and sanitation for survivors... learn how to
mobilize quickly for finding and handling the dead bodies of people and animals to
head off disease and more death... learn to have stores of fuel and crude oil on
hand to keep down the horrible economic drain of high priced fuel for our
transportation networks and private cars because fuel is suddenly in short supply.

I am proud of the actions of our brother and sister Peace Keepers who went in as
quickly as they could and did the best they could.  I am just as proud of the
immediate actions of the Coast Guard and outside law enforcement who went in
with helicopters and tirelessly engaged in search and rescue.  I am proud also of
the many, many active and retired law enforcement officers who are traveling to
Louisiana to work with and back up those who are tired and worn from working in
the worst of conditions.  I am proud also of the National Guard and other troops
who now are on the ground there and others who soon will be... plus the ships of
the U.S. Navy that are there and under way there now.

Blackwater USA put out a call for active and retired law enforcement to contact
them for they were putting together units of these personnel to respond and work
for as long as two weeks at a time.  Individual retired officers are preparing to go
from here on their own to respond to the call for help from the Sheriff of a
neighboring Parish adjacent to New Orleans.

A long list of emergency personnel have responded and are working tirelessly to
meet needs... FEMA Teams, firefighters, emergency medical personnel, doctors,
nurses and all of their support personnel... are all there doing what they can with
what they have..

All of this effort is the spirit of the United States of America being acted out in care
and concern.  I pray the greatest of blessing, peace, health, strength, provision,
protection and endurance be manifest in, upon and to all of these who are working
feverishly to restore life and function to the survivors of the devastation.

One word of warning... all of us must now be more vigilant than ever before.  This
is a most vulnerable time for this nation and all of us in Peace Keeping.

I received my first issue of LAW OFFICER magazine.  It has some very good
material that we all need.  The last issue of POLICE magazine was also filled with
much useful info.  Read and absorb info from both if you can find them.  I am on a
long holiday weekend and running low on time.  I have said all I need to say anyway.
By now you know my heart toward all of you in Peace Keeping.

The usual missing stats will be picked up again in next week's issue.

Be careful out there.  Be alert, watchful, suspicious and wary.  Take great care of
yourselves as you are providing care for others.  Take moments for spiritual
provision for yourselves in the midst of all this situation in which we are now so
deeply involved.  You need that... and so does all of the people you will be working
with.

We are concentrating on the New Orleans area because the devastation is so
great.  Please remember that the same storm also struck Alabama, Mississippi
and south Florida... and the devastation continues in Afghanistan, Iraq and other
places in the world, even on our own streets and roads... and in our own
neighborhoods.

As it has always been... so it still is...

"VICTORIOUS WARRIORS WIN FIRST...
AND THEN GO TO WAR,
WHILE DEFEATED WARRIORS GO TO WAR FIRST...
AND THEN SEEK TO WIN."  Sun tzu

ONLY LIVE PEACE KEEPERS SEE THE VICTORY!!!

WITH THE DEEPEST OF APPRECIATION AND RESPECT...
BE BLESSED (A CONDITION TO BE ENVIED)...
BE SUCCESSFUL... BE SAFE...
Chaplain D. R. Staton (Don - C1) VBPD, VSP ALUMNI,
RETIRED Officer, Instructor, Senior Chaplain, Director of Chaplains
757-431-2190, chpln1@verizon.net
3709 Beacon Lane, Virginia Beach, VA 23452
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