This past week, I spent time in Pensacola, Florida, and the surrounding areas hardest hit by Hurricane Isaias. The devastation was evident everywhere you looked—hundreds of thousands of trees down, shingles torn from roofs, trees fallen on homes and garages, and street signs twisted and bent by the storm.
But as I talked with local residents, I was reminded that, for many, the story was about more than the destruction left behind.
These communities are familiar with hurricanes, and amid the damage and overwhelming cleanup, many people expressed deep gratitude simply to be alive. Their homes may have been damaged, their yards destroyed, and their lives disrupted, but they had survived.
When a Hurricane Adds to Burdens Already Being Carried
For some of the most vulnerable people we encountered, however, the storm brought devastation on top of already difficult circumstances—poverty, physical illness, financial strain, and a lack of support.
Some could no longer afford their mortgage payments. Others had canceled insurance policies or were already overwhelmed by medical bills.
For these individuals, a hole in the roof was not just another repair to make. It was one more seemingly insurmountable burden in a life already filled with hardship.
What Is the Ministry of Presence?
When Hope Force arrives in a disaster zone, we seek to build relationships within the community and identify those who may be overlooked or have the greatest need. This past week, I had the privilege of serving as an Emotional and Spiritual Care Provider, practicing what we call the ministry of presence.
Sometimes, showing up and offering hope looks like expertly tarping a damaged roof. Sometimes, it means clearing debris, repairing what has been broken, or helping restore a sense of normalcy. And sometimes, it means simply sitting with someone, listening without rushing, and giving them the time and space to share their story.
Some of the stories we heard this week were heartbreaking. Yet, as we listened, we were reminded that our simple yes to showing up can bring light into someone’s darkest moments. For those who feel forgotten, overlooked, or left to face life’s burdens alone, the presence of another person can be a powerful reminder that God sees them, hears their prayers, and has not abandoned them.
One Survivor’s Story: More Than a Broken Mailbox
One woman we met will stay with me for a long time.
She was an elderly woman whose husband was at home, dying of cancer. She had recently undergone a kidney removal and should not have been doing physical labor herself. Yet, in addition to caring for her husband, she was facing the overwhelming task of dealing with the storm damage surrounding her home.
Trees had fallen, her carport and garage were mangled, and her beloved husband’s tools—collected over many years—were scattered among the debris. She had every reason to feel overwhelmed.
But one of her greatest sources of anxiety that day wasn’t the roof, the trees, or even the damage to her property.
It was her mailbox.
The pieces of her mailbox were scattered across the yard. To someone else, a broken mailbox might seem like a small inconvenience compared with everything else that had been destroyed. But for this woman, it represented something much bigger. She depended on government checks to meet her most basic needs. Without a working mailbox, she would have to drive to the post office to collect her mail, leaving her critically ill husband at home longer than she felt comfortable.
It was one more thing she simply didn’t know how she was going to manage.
As we talked with her, we learned that she had been crying out to the Lord that very day. She was beginning to feel desperately alone, overwhelmed by circumstances that seemed too heavy to carry. And then, in the midst of her prayers, Hope Force showed up at her door.
Our team began helping with the practical needs in front of us. We tarped her roof, repaired the porch overhang, and cut down massive trees. A few of the men on our team found the pieces of her mailbox, put the post back in place, and made it even stronger than before.
And that mailbox? It brought her an incredible amount of joy!
Disaster Is Personal: Seeing the Need That Matters Most
As I watched her, I was reminded of something so important: Disaster is personal. Everyone’s needs are different, and what feels small to one person may feel overwhelming to another.
Sometimes, the greatest gift we can offer is to see the need that matters most to the person standing right in front of us. To listen. To care. To recognize that behind every damaged home is a person carrying a story, a burden, and often a fear that no one else can see.
This woman was a woman of faith, but even strong faith does not mean we never feel overwhelmed or hopeless. Sometimes, we need someone to come alongside us and remind us that we are not alone.
At the end of our time together, she said something I will never forget:
“I feel so much better. I can tackle anything because Jesus is sending people my way!”
What a beautiful reminder that God often answers prayers through the willing hands and open hearts of His people.
Serving the Person in Front of Us
Was it hard to leave and come home knowing that so much work remained to be done? Absolutely. The needs were—and still are—great. The devastation is widespread, and recovery will take time.
But the need is everywhere, every day. We cannot meet every need or help every person. What we can do is faithfully serve the person Jesus places in front of us today.
We can show up. We can listen. We can offer practical help, a compassionate heart, and the reminder that someone sees them and cares.
Being the Hands and Feet of Jesus in Disaster Relief
This is what it means to be the hands and feet of Jesus.
This is what it means to love our neighbors and serve our fellow human beings, each one made in the image of God.
This is what it means to be the ministry of presence.
And this is what it looks like to BE the Gospel to the world—not just through the words we speak, but through the love we demonstrate, the burdens we help carry, and the hope we bring into the lives of others.
Because sometimes, sharing the hope of Jesus looks like clearing a fallen tree.
Sometimes, it looks like repairing a mailbox.
And sometimes, it looks like showing up at just the right moment to remind someone who feels forgotten that they have not been forgotten by God.
May we always be willing to say yes to the person in front of us, trusting that even the smallest act of love can become a powerful reminder of the hope found in Jesus.
