Please Pray for Australia

"Multiple very dangerous, very powerful fires can be seen across NENSW with some intensifying over SEQLD. The smoke plumes are some of the largest Ive ever seen for Australia with some of the plumes pushing as far as 600-700km from their point of origin!" - Higgins Storm Chasing. Photo: RMMB/CIRA

Psalm 145:8-9 The LORD is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy. The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works. 

I don't usually use this blog to ask specific prayer requests, as my long time readers will know. However, I have decided to ask for prayer about the terrible bushfires in Australia. As some of you know, we have family and friends in Australia, and some of them live in areas that could be threatened by fires. But, I'm burdened about the seriousness of the situation there in general, not just from a personal interest. I realize California also needs prayer, so I mention it in passing, but in Australia they are literally running out of manpower to control the situation. Their firefighters have also been working hard for some time now.

We had already been praying for rain for our family and others there for some time. Many people in Queensland get their water from collection systems and they are completely dependent on rain fall for their water. In extremities they may order water brought in with a truck, but this is an expense and also there may be a wait period since so many people are ordering water at present. With the fires burning wildly in some areas this poses an even more serious problem as water tanks of local people may be empty or nearly so and wells (boreholes) may be few and far between.

My sister-in-law wrote:

"Queensland and NSW [New South Wales] are suffering terribly under extremely dry (tinder-box) conditions with incredibly bad bushfires destroying people's properties - fire-fighters are stretched so thin that some fires aren't being managed at all because there's not enough people to take care of it all - residents are being ignored and left without help because there is no help to be had.  We are in such desperate need of rain.  Please, please pray... 

The forecast is for more winds coming up over the next week (we've been having a lot of burning hot, windy weather already).  Conditions are ripe for more fires."

If you are on Facebook you can go here to read about this dire situation: https://www.facebook.com/HigginsStormChasing/ Among many other amazing and tragic things, there is a story of one town that has been 80% destroyed! Some people have literally escaped with the clothes on their backs and nothing else. [There have been requests for donations, but please use good judgment and do some research before you do something like that. I don't know anything about the people involved or whether they are to be trusted.]

I know there are Christians in these areas. My own family members live in Queensland and they have other Christian friends and family around a large-ish area.

Please keep this situation in prayer and also pray for rain for the affected areas. I especially would ask prayer for the testimonies of the believers there who have opportunity to minister to others through these terrible events. Pray that precious souls will be brought into the fold through this.

Psalm 117:1-2 O praise the LORD, all ye nations: praise him, all ye people. For his merciful kindness is great toward us: and the truth of the LORD endureth for ever. Praise ye the LORD. 

Random Thoughts and Update on the Hurricane

Well Hurricane Harvey turned out to be a much bigger event than was anticipated. For our own part, we had very little storm here. We were on a the northwest side on the very edge of the storm. We only had 3" of rain and some gusty winds. We lost one fair sized branch from a sick tree. That was it. We are very thankful to the Lord for this! Thank you to those who were praying for us.

In less than 48 hours this storm went from a tropical depression to a Category 4 hurricane over the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico. So much can be said about something as tragic as this. So much has been said and is being said. My thoughts don't amount to much, being an infinitely small drop in a storm surge of words and opinions. But, for whatever it's worth...

Here are some more random thoughts.

First of all, there are other disasters going on that should also be noted and prayed for. While I'm happy that people are doing so much to help the flood victims here, there have been terrible catastrophes in other places where there have extensive deaths and severe damages. Even in the U.S. there are places having bad wildfires at present (Montana, Oregon and Idaho) and they should not be ignored. But, our zeal shouldn't all be for America (or wealthy nations). Please also pray for the people suffering from floods and mud slides in Nepal, India, Bangladesh, and Sierra Leone. Read about it here.

---------

Some people are apparently rather angry at Houston for not evacuating their people ahead of time. There are several things to take into account on that. (By the way, Houston is not the only affected area. There are numerous other towns and cities and areas that are in dire trouble from the flood waters.)

1. The national media and many people were completely obsessed about the eclipse during the first part of the week. Very few people were paying attention to what was going on in the Gulf of Mexico. The media is responsible for ignoring or downplaying a significant threat that likely should have been noted sooner.

2. Houston was not expected to be the hardest hit city. It is over a hundred miles from Corpus Christi which was supposed to be the hardest hit. It wasn't an easy call to make that this storm would be so big and cause devastation over such a widespread area. No one could anticipate that 50+ inches of water would fall in some areas of south Texas.

3. Houston is the 4th largest city in the U.S. (not including its suburbs). The only cities larger are NYC, L.A., and Chicago. Imagine evacuating one of these cities with less than 48 hours notice. It couldn't be done, even with a great road system. Furthermore, the whole larger metro area has a population of some 6 million people. You don't evacuate 6 million people easily or quickly.

4. Many in Houston did try to evacuate for Hurricane Rita in 2005. What happened is that they were stuck in traffic for 20+ hours in hot weather and over 100 people died from the heat and traffic problems. People understandably didn't want a rerun. The confirmed death numbers from Harvey have not yet reached the traffic and heat related deaths from Rita at the time of this post.

---------

Another thing I've seen is people blaming this event on "geo engineering," in other words, the government or other conspirators who are allegedly meddling with the weather. This is laughable when we consider that one of the worst hurricanes to hit Texas happened in 1900, long before this so-called government interference of "chemtrails" and HARP and whatever else they claim. Also, that was long before global warming or climate change were invented. I'm amused and disgusted that humans are so easily made to believe that "we" are powerful enough to cause things like this. Truly, they still are drunk on the "ye shall be as gods" line that Satan told Eve in the Garden of Eden. (Gen. 3:5)

After all that Job had said in his own defense, the Lord came to him and asked him a lot of questions that put Job in his proper place before God - as a mere human. Among a lot of other things, He said this, "Canst thou lift up thy voice to the clouds, that abundance of waters may cover thee? Canst thou send lightnings, that they may go, and say unto thee, Here we are?  Who hath put wisdom in the inward parts? or who hath given understanding to the heart? Who can number the clouds in wisdom? or who can stay the bottles of heaven,  When the dust groweth into hardness, and the clods cleave fast together?" Job 38:34-38 

Man likes to think man has a lot of power over creation. In reality, he doesn't have nearly as much as he thinks he does.  [If you are interested, here is a post I wrote about conspiracies awhile back.]

---------

There have been lots of encouraging stories coming out of this situation. I've seen comments regarding the noble rescue work and help that is being done in south Texas. Some of the heroic stories are moving and really wonderful. But, one thing that kind of bothers me is the comments that this is the "real America" while it's put forth that the incident in Charlottesville, Virginia was allegedly not. This is a false impression and it also downplays another tragic event. What happened in Charlottesville is sadly also "the real America."

This is the paradox of this country and it has been since its foundation: that while some people in one area may be showing kindness (some early Europeans here did), others are taking what they want by force - whether land (from the Indians) or rights (as with the white supremacists and those who fight violence with violence). We can't claim that one is "real" and the other is not. Whatever the miserable reasons, the hate is just as real as the kindness. Be thankful there is still kindness and that people are willing to show it, but don't use that to claim that the hate doesn't count or isn't "real."

Micah 6:8  He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?

---------

Finally, if there is something you can do to help in addition to praying, please do - for Texas, for the people where there are wildfires, for India or Nepal or Bangladesh or Sierra Leone. Give through reputable organizations if you are able.

Acts 20:35  I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.

Galatians 2:10  Only they would that we should remember the poor; the same which I also was forward to do.

Meanwhile Elsewhere - The Elephants that Came to Dinner

Psalms 104:24  O LORD, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches.

Meanwhile Elsewhere - When It Isn't Safe to Be White

Here is another post in the "Elsewhere" series - for your information and to help you appreciate what our fellow believers, as well as the non-believers, in other parts of the world live with in their daily lives.
-----------

1 Timothy 6:9-10  But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

Today is International Albinism Day. In keeping with this, here is a link to an article that tells about the very frightening existence that people with albinism live in some African countries - especially Tanzania.

The reason they are is so much danger is because the witch doctors have claimed that body parts, and indeed the whole bodies, of these people have potent magical powers and they will pay fabulous sums of money (by African standards) for those body parts. Many of them have been attacked or threatened due to this, and for the safety of the children, many have been removed to "safe places" to try to protect them from this.

Here is an article at the National Geogrpahic site gives a detailed account of this, along with discussing a little of the experiences of others in places less violent, and one place where there is no violence because the genetic difference is so common.

As usual, disclaimer on some content.

For Them, Being Pale Can Bring Scorn, Threats, and Worse [Note: If you load this page more than once it may ask you to subscribe. One or two loadings should allow you to read it.]

This photo of a Tanzanian witch doctor who has been handling the carcass of a goat, was taken by my grandfather around 1950.

My own parents and grandparents saw albino Africans when they were living in East Africa. At the time and place where they were there was apparently not as much stigma on these people, which may have been due to the presence of more missionaries who would have explained the causes.

Acts 26:16-18  But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee; Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee, To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.

The preaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ and salvation through faith in Him brings freedom from this kind of superstition and devilish activity. This in turn changes the lives of the others as well and ultimately will change a culture if there is enough "salt" present in the lives of believers and the church. Indeed, some cultures have been drastically changed through the power of the gospel. May God grant this for Tanzania. The lust for money and the power of Satan is strong in East Africa, and indeed in all of Africa quite likely, and it is exceedingly destructive.  These evils, and many others, are the result of greed and spiritual darkness.

In the Western world we too often don't appreciate the terrible darkness and power that this kind of superstition has over a people or nation. While there is certainly devilish activity around us in many ways, the darkness of these things is something that penetrates people's minds and the whole culture. If you wish to learn more about this in a historical sense (that still reflects today in many ways), I recommend getting the Jungle Doctor books by Paul White. They are very informative missionary stories, and they give a lot of insight into this without being gruesome or excessive (they were written for children or families).