Sometimes, we ministers and columnists need to keep quiet and just listen to other voices.

Dan Ahart of Fayetteville recently spent a week volunteering in New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. While politicians engaged in finger-pointing, countless people, like Dan, gave of themselves without regard to reward or personal cost. He, and those he joined, slept on the hard floor of a school building and had a great deal of discomfort. Yet, you will find no mention of this personal hardship in his letter, which he sent to me midway through his service to the people of New Orleans:

“Dear Father Epps,

“We made it to New Orleans Monday. What unbelievable destruction---not from wind but the flood. Streets are lined with house garbage; carpets, furniture, cabinets, doors, etc.

“Everything that came in contact with the water has to go. We cleaned one of the pastor's homes last night, removing all the carpet, hardwood floors, most of the furniture, doors, cabinets, everything. His walls have mold growing from the floor up to about 2 feet (his home had one foot of water). We removed all of the sheet rock up to four feet.

“I asked Pastor Mel (Mel Rolls of Atlanta) this morning if I could get some experience street ministering. He assigned me to a veteran minister named Lance, whose primary concern is street ministry. We loaded three vans with water, food, diapers, ice, first-aid items, toilet paper, etc., and drove into the poorer neighborhoods. When we found someone outside, we stopped and asked if they needed any supplies. Most said, “Yes.” They all were so happy to see us.

“We found an elderly man digging through garbage left on the street at a full dumpster. The stench was terrible. He took us to his apartment where we left food, ice, soap, toilet paper, etc. His apartment was unlivable yet he was staying there with three other families. In my opinion, the apartment should be condemned. He had no power and no water.

“We helped a woman at another apartment who was outside drenched in sweat. She had an infant baby girl. We gave her food, ice, diapers, toilet paper, etc. Two small boys maybe age 5 or 6 came outside immediately, and asked for ice. He followed me