Poster Art by Cynthia Wilson
A month ago I started a cause on Facebook, "A Call to Prayer, Mission and Action for the Gulf Coast." In so doing, I knew that there had already been 20 billion dollars that had been set aside by BP after pointed negotiations with government officials and President Barack Obama. States in the Gulf Coast region have received millions of dollars in tourism, boosting funds as part of an extensive public relations campaign by BP to control damages. So far as a result of the tragic explosion on the Deepwater Horizon oil rig which began this long and monstrous ordeal to contain millions of barrels raging from the ocean floor daily, 11 lives have been lost,thousands of sea inhabitants including shellfish,birds,turtles and dolphins have died. Portions of the marshlands are oozing with oil, the sandy beaches have been invaded by tar balls and there are thick gooky globs and strings of oil swimming around throughout vast regions of the Gulf.
Many are outraged,some have complained,some have sought medical treatment from the resulting depression. Many are feeling like there is little or no hope for the future because they are jobless. While BP is paying their claims and people put into positions to help speed the process along,fishermen and business owners are still complaining about the amount and swiftness of their pay. In short, there appears to still be issues that need resolving. After all, while money solves a multitude of problems and is always needed when disasters of this nature strike,there are matters that can slip through the cracks if not handled properly and with care.
One way to make a lot of the problems go away is to just stop the oil stream, get a robust cap in place and keep it there for as long as the oil streams from the well. Channel it up and over the water into a medium it is more compatible with. Today, a containment process was started, one that appears to be more hopeful than those in the past. At least there seems to be a slow down on the rate of oil flowing from the ocean. So,they say.
Whether this new gadget works or not still remains to be seen. It sure would be a great thing if they got this thing under control.
Something has got to stop the oil stream. They've tried a lot. Some of everything you might think. I wonder if any of the big shots pray to god. I wonder if they might think it's corny or hokey to even consider a "prayer request" to god to stop the oil stream. Well, I for one think it would be a great thing to do. And,we can start doing it together one by one,first at home,then at church, work or the office at community meetings and then move on to a global scale. Start with yourself first,of course. Get your friends involved. That's easy if you are on any of the modern day social networks. Then, make sure you back that friend network up with the people you touch, feel and talk to everyday. Your next door neighbor,the people at the corner store if you have on still,local cleaners,etc.
There is a saying in church and prayer circles that "prayer changes things". In light of how long and fiercely the oil has been roaring up out of the ocean,it would seem that a little praying might be in order. It certainly couldn't hurt. That is for sure.
Here are the words to a song I wrote about it and would like to share with you.
Stop the Oil Stream
What do I see?
What can we do?
What does it mean?
Is life in the Gulf as we know it really through?
Just can't believe
That its a lasting truth
That the sands and the seas would be forever barred
by a coat of oil and goo
Chorus:
Well, I'm gonna place faith in God
and trust he gave Moses a holy rod
And he can stop the oil stream
How can it be?
with all modern skills and tools
Love for my neighbor,care in my heart for the birds and fish
That does not seem to do?
Chorus:
Well,I'm gonna have faith in God
Know its never too late
for God
To stop the oil stream
Copyright June 2010 Cynthia D. Wilson
