Go Beyond

One of the most compelling characteristics of Jesus’ life is that He moved in the direction of people in need. Whether it was a woman at a well, a despised tax-collector in a tree, an adulteress being dragged through the streets by her accusers, or a widow at the funeral of her only son, Jesus did not shy away from messy or painful situations. And, because Jesus moved in the direction of the hurting, He was able to bring healing, health, and hope.

On Thursday morning, our Disaster Response Team will move in the direction of people in need — specifically those who suffered great loss during the recent flooding in Central Texas. During the month of May, Texas was pounded by lots of rain — 35 trillion gallons by one estimate. That’s enough water to cover the whole state up to nearly eight inches deep. This record-setting rainfall resulted in dangerous flash floods all over Central and East Texas, including the Greater Houston area — damaging property and resulting in loss of lives.

Our Disaster Response van and trailer are loaded with supplies and our guys are eager to hit the road. Our team is scheduled to spend the next several days serving those impacted by the floods in the San Marcos area. We pray that our presence will be a comfort and encouragement to those who are still trying to piece their lives back together after the floods. We also pray that we have lots of good and hot sunny weather so that things can begin to dry up.

If we want to become more like Jesus, then we must learn to consistently move in the direction of those in need. We must close the distance between ourselves and those who are overwhelmed by loss, hurt, and pain. Demonstrating kindness is one way to show people in need that God loves them, believes in them, and has not forgotten them.

Please keep our team in your prayers and also the many other volunteers who are working hard every day to help those in need. And please pray for those who are grieving the loss of loved ones and the loss of property in the recent floods. The area where we will work is still considered a recovery area which means that they are still searching for those swept away by the flood waters. I will post updates in the coming days as well as pics of our relief work on my Instagram account at #omarcgarcia.