None of us will soon forget Hurricane Katrina and the devastation it left in New Orleans and other towns across 3 states on the Gulf Coast. For several months, donations from Zion and AFLC churches across the nation helped about ten families who suffered substantial losses. Our cousins Ron and Kathy Burnett were one of those families. In a state of shock for months after the storm, the Burnett's had apartment rent added to their mortgage payment, in addition to other unexpected expenses—they lost all but a couple of pair of shoes and a few clothes. And Kathy evacuated to Memphis and had a large hotel bill. The money Zion sent helped them meet these extra expenses, but most of all let them know that somebody out there cared.

     After a long wait and extensive renovation, the Burnett's finally were able to move back into their home. Ernie and I were among several other relatives who were recently invited for a visit to see the house and to celebrate Ron's retirement.

     Ron was an insurance adjuster, of all things, and worked long , hard hours helping others while living in a trailer in Baton Rouge for many months. He had also recently undergone chemo and radiation therapy for cancer and was commended by his company for not missing one day of work. Kathy has a pet sitting business and supervises an after-school program with pre-school and kindergarten students.

     They have two grown daughters, Amy and Elizabeth. When they were able to get back into New Orleans, they stayed in Elizabeth's apartment while their house was being renovated.

     Ron and Kathy were very innovative and frugal about furnishing their "new" home. They put together salvaged items from the street in a way that was both attractive and inviting.

     During our visit, they drove us around New Orleans to see the hardest hit areas. We saw the large numbers spray painted on the still standing shattered houses, a grim reminder of the date they were searched and how many bodies were found. Mountains of debris also still remained that once were houses. Large shopping malls were empty shells. New Orleans now has less than half the population it had before the storm.

     Our visit ended on a happy note. Ron fixed pancakes for about eight Burnetts who were laughing and talking around their big table.

     A few years ago a group of salesmen went to a regional sales convention in Chicago . They had assured their wives that they would be home in plenty of time for Friday night's dinner. In their rush, with tickets and briefcases, one of these salesmen inadvertently kicked over a table which held a display of apples. Apples flew everywhere. Without stopping or looking back, they all managed to reach the plane in time for their nearly missed boarding.

     ALL BUT ONE !!! He paused, took a deep breath, got in touch with his feelings, and experienced a twinge of compassion  for the girl whose apple stand had been overturned. He told his buddies to go on without him, waved goodbye, told one of them to call his wife when they arrived at their home destination and explain his taking a later flight. Then he returned to the terminal where the apples were all over the terminal floor. He was glad he did. The 16 year old girl was  totally blind!  She was softly crying, tears running down her cheeks in  frustration, and at the same time helplessly groping for her spilled produce as the crowd swirled about her, no one stopping and no one to care for her  plight.

     The salesman knelt on the floor with her, gathered up the apples, put them back on the table and helped organize her display. As he did this, he noticed that many of them had become battered and bruised; these he set aside in another basket.

     When he had finished, he pulled out his wallet and said to the girl, "Here, please take this $40 for the damage we did.  Are you okay?"  She nodded through her tears. He continued on with, "I hope we didn't spoil your day too badly."

     As the salesman started to walk away, the bewildered blind girl called out to him, "Mister." He  paused and turned to look back into those blind eyes. She continued, "ARE YOU JESUS?"

     He stopped in mid-stride, and he wondered. Then slowly he  made his way to catch the later flight with that question burning and bouncing about in his soul: "Are you Jesus?" Do people mistake you for Jesus? That's our destiny, is it not? To be so much like Jesus that people cannot tell the difference as we live and interact with a world that is blind to His love, life and grace.

     If we claim to know HIM, we should live, walk and act as He would. Knowing Him is more than simply quoting Scripture and going to church. It's actually living the Word as life unfolds day to day. You are the apple of His eye even though we, too, have been  bruised by a fall. He stopped what He was doing and picked you and me up on  a hill called Calvary and paid IN FULL for our damaged fruit.

     But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. ~ Galatians 5:22-23  (NIV)

1. Heart to Heart Family Resource Center
   
2. Alabama Sheriff’s Boys’ Ranch, Summerdale
   
3. Foley Nursing Home