Footsteps 18

WHEN DISASTER STRIKES

Scarcely a week goes by without us hearing of some kind of disaster on the news – earthquakes, coups, flooding, drought, civil war, dreadful accidents. None of us knows what the future may hold or where disaster may strike next. In this issue we look at a variety of thoughts and ideas which may help all of us to be better prepared to cope in difficult situations. The section which checks our knowledge of first aid is one we all need to read. How useful are we in emergencies? All of us face stress or temptations at some time, and the articles by Mike Wall and others give very practical advice on coping. Ian Davis explains how disaster and the following relief and rebuilding work can be seen as a cycle. He urges churches to help communities to be better prepared should disaster strike.

Please find below articles from Footsteps issue 18 in html.

To download a pdf version of Footsteps issue 18 click here (579K).

Bible study Joseph and his response to drought by Mike Wall and Vinay Samuel. Read Genesis Chapter 41. Joseph, who was in prison at the time, was called to interpret some vivid dreams of the Pharaoh. His explanation of what God was saying through these dreams w... More >>

Coping with stress by Mike Wall. ‘If we are thrown into the blazing furnace the God we serve is able to save us.’(Daniel 3:17). People involved in disaster situations have to cope with high levels of stress, so it helps to understand what stress is and learn how to de... More >>

Editorial Scarcely a week goes by without us hearing of some kind of disaster on the news – earthquakes, coups, flooding, drought, civil war, dreadful accidents. None of us knows what the future may hold or where disaster may strike next. In this issue we look... More >>

How to prevent a second disaster Brother Lal, (not his real name) was perhaps the most outstanding Christian worker in the whole region – very committed to his work, active in preaching and teaching in several villages and most reliable. During the famine, the Bishop was asked if a... More >>

Letters Sticky pesticide! I have recently received some back issues of Footsteps and was very interested in all the correspondence about the use of neem as a pesticide and would like to add a further piece of information. I am currently working in Cross ... More >>

Resources People in Rural Development by Peter Batchelor, Paternoster Press, 240 pages ISBN 0-85364-541-8 This is a new edition of a valuable book, first published in 1981. ‘People First’ – the title of the opening chapter - demonstrates Peter Batchelor’s app... More >>

Seed-saving Ideas Adapted from the book Seed to Seed by Suzanne Ashworth with kind permission. The cost and availability of vegetable seeds is often a problem for small farmers. Farmers usually have a wealth of knowledge about how to grow and propagate traditional cr... More >>

The ABC of first aid The priorities of first aid are… A AIRWAY B BREATHING C CIRCULATION (and bleeding) Only then look at burns and broken bones. A Airway The airway of an unconscious person may be narrowed or blocked, making breathing difficult and noisy o... More >>

The Church and Disasters by Jun Vencer. Each Disaster brings individual stories of great tragedy and human suffering. How is the church to respond to such need? Every church should be involved in providing relief for those who suffer – in whatever way. In the book of Act... More >>

The Emergency Quiz! Compiled by Isabel Carter, Bessie Cormack, Dr Elizabeth Swain, Sue Hanley and Sandra Michie. All of us have probably experienced a real emergency at some time in our lives – situations when we wonder how best to help and no-one else nearby knows wha... More >>

What makes a disaster? by Ian Davis. Natural events such as earthquakes and floods are part of God’s creative work. For example, earthquakes are natural events that help to form the landscape. Hurricanes move water from warm seas to fall as rain over land. Floods provide ... More >>

Who expects what in community participation? by Ben Osuga. Communities are often visited by various groups of people who hope to help the community. These visitors often bring with them packages of assistance which they expect the community to welcome. When communities are visited in this way,... More >>

Why do disasters occur? by Vinay Samuel, Ian Davis and Mike Wall. A great famine in an African country some years ago resulted in many people dying. Some said that it was a judgement of God upon this country because the government persecuted the church. In Ezekiel 14:12-... More >>

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