By Gayle L. Gresham
Following the September 11, 2001, terror attacks on New York City and Washington, D.C., Americans poured out their care and concern to victims and their families through monetary donations. The U.S. government set up a coordinator through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to designate how the money would be distributed. International Disaster Emergency Services (IDES), and “˜Go Ye” Chapel Mission Inc. (now called The Orchard Group, Inc.), an organization dedicated to planting Christian churches in New York and the Northeast, contacted FEMA immediately to learn how they could help, but were told to wait. After two months of waiting, the organizations learned that FEMA funds would be given to the victims and their families only.
Believing more people were affected financially by the terror attacks, representatives of IDES and “˜Go Ye” Chapel met with ministers of churches near Ground Zero and the Pentagon to identify the needs of the people.
“We identified the “˜peripheral homes” as the next greatest need””the families who were not affected directly, but who lost business and incomes due to the attacks,” says David Shelton, field services manager of IDES.
Peripheral homes included families of firemen, police officers, barbers, florists, shoe-shine boys, restaurant workers, and taxicab drivers. Owners of the small businesses surrounding Ground Zero that lost their customers with the destruction of the World Trade Center needed help as did employees who lost jobs and those affected by airport shutdowns.
Angels at Ground Zero
IDES, the “˜Go Ye” Chapel, and individual congregations swung into action. Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, Kentucky, raised $480,000 in one weekend. Associate pastor Dave Stone traveled to Ground Zero and joined Jeff Butler, pastor of Christ”s Church of the City (now Community Christian Church). The men walked from store to store, talking with owners and employees. When a financial need was discovered, Stone wrote a check to the owner or employee. The checks ranged from $1,000 to $3,000 for business owners and up to $500 for employees who were out of work. The men also offered to pray for their business, family, and employees.
Jeff Butler recalls an overwhelmed Jewish business owner who said, “The synagogue came and gave us coffee and donuts, but a church came and gave us money?”
Jeff Butler returned to Ground Zero several times with other area ministers, including Bill Altman and Paul Curtis of Crossroads Christian Church in Brooklyn, and Dan Baker of Hunterdon Christian Church. Paul Curtis tells the story of meeting with George, a restaurant owner. George talked openly with the pastors about the amount of money he had lost and how far behind he was on the bills. After the pastors gave him a check, George”s eyes filled with tears.
“I”ve been asking for help everywhere,” he said. “I don”t even know you guys and you”re doing this.”
The following week the pastors returned to visit George. He had good news to report: “Since you prayed for me when you were here before, the place has been packed every day. You guys are my angels!”
Helping Taxicab Drivers in Washington, D.C.
In the Washington, D.C., area, a new church plant was preparing for her launch date in October when the airplane hit the Pentagon. Journey”s Crossing in Montgomery County, Maryland, led by Mark Wilkinson, had completed its marketing and trained a core group of leaders. Now this church plant found itself doing the work of an established church in the months that followed the tragedy. Journey”s Crossing became the conduit of funds from IDES and other organizations. Like the sister churches in New York City, Journey”s Crossing began to seek out the people left in financial straits caused by September 11. The first project involved the taxicab drivers near Reagan National Airport.
“The airport was shut down and this put people out of work, including the taxicab drivers,” says Wilkinson. “We sent people down to the airport where they got into a taxicab and asked the driver to take them around the block. Afterwards they said thank you for the ride and handed the driver a gift of $50 to $100 to help offset financial problems.”
This led to a larger project. While talking with the drivers, riders learned that 15 to 20 employees of the taxicab dispatching company had lost their jobs. So, Journey”s Crossing rented a banquet room at a Holiday Inn in the shadow of the Pentagon and invited those families to a Thanksgiving dinner. After the dinner the families each received a week”s salary and presents to give their children at Christmas.
Journey”s Crossing continued outreach to the community in the months following 9/11 by seeking out the needs of their neighbors and offering crisis counseling.
Taking Christ”s Love Door-to-Door
The people of Crossroads Christian Church in Brooklyn hit the sidewalks after the terrorist attacks.
“We went door-to-door asking if people had lost loved ones or had loved ones missing. We also offered to pray for them,” says pastor Paul Curtis. “We followed up by taking meals to families who had lost loved ones. Three families who had lost firefighters received meals for up to a month.”
At the home of one of the firefighters, the church was able not only to minister to his wife and children, but also to his six brothers and sisters who gathered there throughout the following month. Several of the siblings were firefighters, including a brother who happened to be out of town on September 11. He lost about 20 firefighters from his firehouse. A sister wrote a note to Crossroads, saying, “Words cannot begin to express to all of you our gratitude for all you”ve done for our family these past weeks.”
Crossroads also showed care and concern by taking baked goods and bouquets of flowers to local schools, firehouses, and police stations. And the church hired a counselor to be available for crisis counseling after church services for a month.
Looking back at the response of Crossroads, Paul Curtis says, “It caused us to look outward instead of inward at a time when many focused on pain and hurt.”
A Cup of Cold Water
Through the financial donations from people across the country, IDES and the Orchard Group were able to provide the churches near Ground Zero and the Pentagon with funds to help meet the needs of people who were overlooked immediately following the terror attacks. Dave Stone aptly explained the mission of the Christian churches and churches of Christ to a reporter: “We wanted to give a cup of cold water in the name of Jesus.”
Looking back at the disaster relief efforts, Mark Wilkinson said, “Terrible circumstances are unpredictable and can do massive damage to people. The church needs to be ready to demonstrate consolation and compassion, while at the same time trusting God to help people in a supernatural way. No amount of anticipation can really prepare you for these situations.”
While tragic events of September 11, 2001, will live on in memories of the people of New York City and Washington, D.C., there are also small business owners who recall a group of pastors visiting and praying with them before handing them a check for $2,000, taxicab drivers who smile at the memories of driving a person around the block and receiving $100, and families of victims who remember with gratitude the meals, love, and support from strangers.
Gayle Gresham is a member and worker at Elbert (Colorado) Christian Church. Learn more about her writing ministry at www.gaylegresham.com.
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