As hurricane season approaches, administrators at Mennonite Disaster Service (MDS) are keeping a watchful eye on the Gulf Coast oil spill. They are concerned that powerful storms will push oil inland into new areas.
“We’re treading new water here too; this is not the typical disaster we respond to,” remarked Brian Pipkin, communications coordinator at MDS. While the agency plans to stay focused on what it does best—building and repairing houses—its staff is also aware that the oil spill in the Gulf could affect their work in unforeseen ways.
So far, MDS has sent two investigative teams to the Gulf Coast to listen to what previous clients in the area have to say. What they’ve heard most often is a request for prayer which they have passed on to the Mennonite Church at large. read more