Our fall of 2022 FIT for LIFE series has again been marked by unexpected events. Last time the Queen’s passing. Now Hurricane Fiona here in Eastern Canada, and Ian in Florida.
Striking our Prince Edward Island farmers just as the harvest was commencing, Fiona will hugely impact their fruitful harvest. Corn and soybean fields were flattened. Some potato growers lost their storage barns. Some dairy farmers lost their barn roofs and milking parlours, and some cattle to death from crashing silos.
Healthcare workers were of course again stretched to the max with injuries attributable to both preparing for the hurricane, and the aftermath, from carbon monoxide from generators, chainsaw injuries, and traffic accidents due to non-operating traffic signals.
All of us in the midst of it were traumatized by the intense winds and flying debris, damage to properties, downed trees, floods from tidal surges, and power outages lasting days to weeks.
Like every natural disaster, or personal tragedy, Fiona has tested our resilience and our ability to bounce back. We just came through the Covid-19 pandemic, which for many of us already put us in a state of partial depletion of our reserves. Now this.
For those of us often relying on escape into nature for replenishment and nourishment, everywhere we walk, or kayak, or drive, reminds us of the storm’s devastation of our shorelines, forests, and ornamental trees. Our normal fall foliage colours have become a muted brown from salt spray Hugh “heritage trees” with over 100 years of history were uprooted. Our parks are a mess and closed.
Spiritually, disasters like this cause many of us to question our faith and how what insurer’s call “an act of God,” could happen. Daily spiritual routines of solitude were replaced by the immense cleanup needs both for our own properties, or neighbours, and loved ones.
The stress of dealing with insurers, roof leaks with overworked contractors, cleanup, and decisions about low lying or coastal properties, will continue for weeks or months.
Lessons from Fiona
Is there any silver lining in a natural disaster such as Fiona? Can any good come out of it?
The silver lining may be hard to find. Especially for those hardest hit with losses. In Ian many lost lives.
But here on PEI, we do hear stories of a silver lining.
Community resilience
Here on Prince Edward Island there are stories of neighbours pulling together in ways that were unprecedented before Fiona. Where Covid left us isolated and suspicious of neighbours, this time many came out of our cocoons to survey the damage of our own and neighbour’s properties. And to be there for one another to help with generators, chain saws, warming centres, and meals.
As in the early days of Covid, when frontline and essential workers in the health sector were honoured and celebrated, likewise cleanup and power utility crews are again being fed and given appreciation.
Our local news broadcasters went on the air (radio) 24/7 in the early days so people could stay in touch when power, internet, and cell service went out. Old transistor radios were brought back into service with fresh batteries or hand cranks.
Personal resilience
Our personal and relationship resiliency came under incredible testing. Psychologists do tell us that we do become stronger by going through hard things.
The people that we have spoken to who “slept through the whole thing,” were generally people who were already on a recovery journey from childhood trauma or more serious mental illness and addictions. They likely are growing in their resilience.
If we are able to process our emotions and grieve our losses in a healthy way, we will emerge from this season stronger with greater reserves. But, if you stuff your emotions, or numb them with substances or other addictions such as gambling, sex, or work, the longterm impact of stress will likely affect your physical health to your detriment.
If you are stuck in processing your emotions, please reach out for professional help or to trusted mentors. IHTC exists to be there if you need therapy or someone to process with you. Please contact us.
Spiritual hope
Those of us who follow the teachings of Jesus and the Bible, do recognize that the biblical historians who recorded Jesus’s life and sayings, as well as His followers who wrote the other parts of the New Testament, pretty well all spoke of hard times toward the “end of the age.”
In Matthew 24 Jesus is recorded as saying:
“You will hear of wars and revolutions on every side, with more rumors of wars to come. Don’t panic or give in to your fears, for the breaking apart of the world’s systems is destined to happen. But it won’t yet be the end; it will still be unfolding. Nations will go to war against nations and kingdoms against kingdoms. And there will be terrible earthquakes, horrible epidemics, and famines in place after place. This is how the birth pains of the new age will begin!”
Matthew 24:6 – 8 (TPT)
Seems like a pretty good description of the times we live in.
The Apostle Paul wrote a similar message to the early Christians in Rome:
“The entire universe is standing on tiptoe, yearning to see the unveiling of God’s glorious sons and daughters! For against its will the universe itself has had to endure the empty futility resulting from the consequences of human sin. But now, with eager expectation, all creation longs for freedom from its slavery to decay and to experience with us the wonderful freedom coming to God’s children. To this day we are aware of the universal agony and groaning of creation, as if it were in the contractions of labor for childbirth.“
Romans 8: 19 – 22 (TPT)
Creation is “groaning.” A good description of extreme weather events (floods in Pakistan, demonstrations in Iran, war in Ukraine, hurricanes, …).
But in this Chapter to the Romans, Paul alludes to a hope that Christians the world over believe in and cling to—a rebirth, a renewal of our planet.
That seed of hope was first planted by the Apostle Peter during his famous Pentecost sermon:
“ For he must remain in heaven until the restoration of all things has taken place, fulfilling everything that God said long ago through his holy prophets.”
Acts 3:21 (TPT)
In the closing chapters of the Bible, we read of further hope as John, after mystical visions, wrote of a new heaven and a new earth:
Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”
Revelation 21:1 – 5 (NIV)
Our role as FIT citizens
We have seen that the acronym “F I T” has a double meaning: 1) the obvious physical and mental fitness, and 2) Fruitfulness in Tenure, or to “bear good fruit,” quoting Jesus’ words (John 15:5), both now and for a lifetime. Season after season.
As FIT citizens, we play an important role in the coming of this new age. According to the Apostle Peter, we are challenged to actually “hasten” or “speed up“ the coming of the age to come:
“Since all these things are on the verge of being dismantled, don’t you see how vital it is to live a holy life? We must be consumed with godliness while we anticipate and help to speed up the coming of the day of God … But as we wait, we trust in God’s royal proclamation to be fulfilled. There are coming heavens new in quality, and an earth new in quality, where righteousness will be fully at home.”
2 Peter 3:11 – 13 (TPT)
None of that will be in our own strength. Jesus Himself said we must “abide” or “remain” in Him to bear this kind of fruit (John 15:4).
As we recover from the Covid pandemic, and Fiona, it is our prayer at IHTC that we can truly live the challenge of James 1:2 – 5:
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”
James 1:2-4 (NIV)
Fighting for FIT citizens and sustainable healthcare,
