Faith in the Eye of the Storm: Katrina Stories in Four Voices: Belief at Work During Natural Disasters

by Debra Anderson, Janyce Jorgensen

Overview

Silence...an unusual place to start in harrowing narratives about a hurricane. Yet, that is where "Faith in the Eye of the Storm: Katrina Stories in Four Voices" begins; in the surreal silence immediately following the passing of the destructive storm. What happens now? How do people respond to the extreme devastation of natural disasters, especially people of faith? Through candid conversations with survivors of Hurricane Katrina, through interviews with staff members of relief organizations and of volunteers, and through intense personal experience, this faith response is examined. The growth and healing that occurs as a consequence of this faith in action is as varied as the individuals who respond. Those who live here find hope. Those who come to serve, leave profoundly changed. Interspersed among these accounts are poems from Katrina: Poetry in Two Distinct Voices (Lincoln, NE: iPublishing, 2007) written by Cee Cee Jay Spencer, a Hurricane Katrina survivor. Enveloping all the narratives is one overarching voice - the voice of God, before, during, after, forever. Proceeds from this book will be donated to disaster relief and recovery efforts through Hope Builds, Inc., a non-profit organization. (Book study included.)

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781493563395
Publisher:	CreateSpace Publishing
Publication date:	11/01/2013
Pages:	242
Product dimensions:	5.98(w) x 9.02(h) x 0.55(d)

About the Author

Janyce Jorgensen serves as a pastor in a congregational setting and as a professor in an ecumenical setting. Her primary interest in ecclesial as well as academic settings is the study of Scripture and how it informs the life of faith. She has contributed to an ecumenical treatment of Scripture and has written various articles on mission and service, ecumenical relationships and preaching. Since Hurricane Katrina, she has devoted an extensive amount of time to mission and service experiences in the U.S. Gulf Coast and Mexico. She resides in Pennsylvania with her husband and children. Deb Anderson taught in the public school system for 33 years, primarily in middle school, and loved every minute of it! Within her church, she is extensively involved in caring and listening ministries. She helps to plan amazing, God-inspired retreats for women. She has spent weeks on the Gulf Coast assisting with rebuilding homes and listening to the hearts of people who reside there as well as to those who come there to serve. Deb and her husband live in Pennsylvania and have four grown children who have encouraged her to be a better listener.