Mennonite Disaster Service

Reviews / Votes

Readers, and not only Mennonite readers, will enjoy this book for the ways in which it inspires hope.... The book deserves to be read widely.... [I]t will be of tremendous service to scholars and relief actors alike. * Mennonite Quarterly Review * Mennonite Disaster Service brings to clear focus one of the most powerful examples of faith-based volunteer service to the survivors of hurricane Katrina and the other Gulf coast hurricanes of the first decade of the 21st century. This book is an important read because it provides detailed history and understanding of the work the particular group achieved but also enables us to appreciate the motivation, methods, and outcomes such committed groups demonstrate. -- Shirley Laska, University of New Orleans This book offers a rich and textured account of Mennonite Disaster Service. In describing this extraordinary organization, Dr. Phillips answers several fundamentally important questions, including: Why do people volunteer after disasters? What do faith-based organizations contribute to post-disaster recovery work? And, ultimately, how can communities rebuild to be stronger and better, even after the most catastrophic events? This is a fascinating read. -- Lori Peek, Colorado State University This is both an excellent academic study and a story-a truly engaging one-of people helping people in a very special way. This is a close up view of those who experienced the destruction of Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Ike and those from the Mennonite Disaster Service who came to help. Together they built a classic therapeutic community. This important book is a valuable resource not only for students and academics who will find rich empirical support for many theoretical concepts, but for anyone who wants to understand and appreciate giving and receiving in disaster recovery. -- Maureen Fordham, Northumbria University