The More Expensive Thing is Care

Local pastor William H. Gray 3rd is leading an effort to support
Katrina-ravaged houses of worship in New Orleans. This effort has $20
million from the Katrina Fund, spearheaded by George H.W. Bush and
Bill Clinton, which seems like a lot until you try to wrap your head
around the massive destruction clergy members are trying to rebuild
from.

Indeed, Gray and the other leaders are already bracing for a lot of
requests for funding for repairs and other rebuilding efforts. During
a gathering of about 1000 clergy in a New Orleans hotel ballroom, one
minister stood up and said he needed $1 million. So $20 million isn't
going to get very far. But it's a good start.

More expensive than repairs of buildings, though, and more important,
is the repairing of hope. Just like repairing New Orleans isn't just
a matter of writing a check, repairing hope in the hearts of the
religious leaders of New Orleans isn't just a matter of dispensing
hugs or pithy statements. It will take time to minister to the
ministers, to help them to heal so they can help others to heal. My
prayers are with Pastor Gray and the other drivers of this effort,
that they can instill in the local clergy a sense of hope and
togetherness, a notion that while things are tough now, there is life
in the rebuilding.