Ready Response

Over the past couple of decades, Friend Ships has responded to hurricanes, fires, floods, tornados, earthquakes, and civil unrest here in the United States and in many countries around the world. In every disaster we've worked, there is a need for more Christians to be there to comfort, encourage, help them with their needs, and sometimes just listen or give a hug. Fires, floods, earthquakes, tornados, hurricanes, terror attacks, chemical spills, mass shootings—every one of these terrible events is an opportunity to help and minister to people. When a disaster hits a community, it dissolves into chaos. Lives are shattered ,and all support systems gone. Those who know the Lord are crying out to Him to help them through this crisis. Those who don’t know Him are searching desperately for comfort and meaning in what they are experiencing. People desperately need what we as Christians have to offer. Yet routinely these amazing opportunities go unattended. This material will introduce the benefits and challenges of providing material aid while including ministry to the spirit. Learn how to select, prepare, inspire, and lead a team, keeping them functioning as an effective, disciplined group with priorities in place.Our teams can benefit greatly by being prepared before we go. In an environment where there is no power, scarce water, no open stores, restricted communications, non-functioning sanitation systems, and little fuel available, we need to be organized and sufficiently supported or we become a drag on a system that is already broken. By training and organizing in advance, we will know what we require in terms of personnel, housing, food, equipment, and supplies and minimize the chance that our mission will fail. By assessing our available resources, leadership, and the training necessary to obtain prior to the response, we prepare our team to be confident and ready to response to people's needs.