SPDR Web: Reflections from the Volunteer Louisiana Disaster Summit, Baton Rouge, LA

By Libby Janes

Written on April 7, 2026

I gazed out from the balcony, across a vast indoor water table. “It even smells like the river! exclaimed the person beside me.  In March, I visited Baton Rouge for the Volunteer Louisiana’s Disaster Summit, which included a tour of the LSU Center for River Studies. Their Lower Mississippi River Physical Model is a powerful tool for understanding river processes, coastal restoration, and river management. This to-scale 10,800 square-foot model is a real table of water, the size of two basketball courts, that simulates water and sediment dynamics of the Mississippi River Basin. The

model covers 175 river miles, extending from Donaldsonville, LA to the mouth of the river and into the Gulf of Mexico.

Coastal Louisiana suffers from a catastrophic rate of land loss due to erosion and rising sea levels, so research efforts by the LSU Center for River Studies are critical to inform river management strategies and conservation efforts. Carefully controlled diversion structures allow for water and sediment to be diverted out of the river into nearby wetland areas, mimicking natural flooding.

I was amazed at the massive scale of this simulator, and how computer projections onto the water table presents a fascinating interplay of technology and physical modeling. I also picked up a copy of Rising Tide: The Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 and How it Changed America by John M. Barry, to learn more about historic disasters and recovery efforts. (If anyone would like to join me in reading this book, please let me know!) The gift store announced “Come make a Louisiana Purchase!” and I love a good history pun!

My favorite part of the water table room was a large quote on the far wall. “We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.” – Albert Einstein

This quote provides a wonderful meditation for us to ponder. What were the strategies we used when our churches began disaster work? What are the challenges that have changed the nature of our work? How is disaster work different today than it was pre-pandemic, or 10, 20, 30, 100 years ago? We can learn from the past, and yet there is no singular method that will match every need – every disaster is different, just as every community is unique too. We are called to be continuously creative, ceaselessly listen to local communities, and be courageous in how we adapt to new challenges.

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On the second day of the Volunteer Louisiana Disaster Summit, Amy Sins delivered a wonderful keynote, reflecting on her experiences as a Hurricane Katrina survivor and dedicated disaster worker. Here were some of my favorite quotes from her keynote:

• “Nothing can prepare you for seeing your community for the first time after a devastating event.”

• [She recalls advice from a 9/11 firefighter who arrived to help her devastated neighborhood:] “It’s a lot. Pick a corner. Start there. Everything will fall into place.”

• Amy talked a lot about superpowers. She asked us to each think about what our individual gift – our superpower – is. She said, “It’s not your job title, it’s something unique about you as a person, that you can share to support the people around you.” She said her superpower was “seeing connections all around me… and making sure the right people found each other.”

I had to think about this for a while. For me individually, I think it’s my ability to follow my intuition – to trust and feel what the Holy Spirit is doing in/with/through, and all around me, and enjoin with others I meet. When I feel this pull from the Spirit, I full-heartedly follow this pulling of my heart, and I love to draw as many people as I can into this dance with the Holy Spirit. I think God loves to surprise me like this!

Amy went on to say that thousands of people around Louisiana have superpowers too, and when we all share these powers with one another, and have faith in one another’s powers, disaster recovery comes to life. She emphasized that each of us should focus on what we do best, and coordinators should give volunteers clear roles and confidence to jump in, and trust for others to do what they do best.

The new keyword of disaster recovery I learned at this conference was “force multiplier.” I heard this word so many times! A “force multiplier” is a local organization that can multiply the impact of major resources in their community. For example, Presbyterian Churches, anchored in the life of their communities, and with many superpowers to offer, can be force multipliers. Jenni Skipper from the American Red Cross encouraged SPDR and our network of Presbyterian churches to consider partnering to develop warming shelters, call centers, and other creative, collaborative efforts to support our local communities.

Especially in small towns, churches can be essential force multipliers. Brandon Miguez, Iberia Parish Emergency Manager, urged congregations to contact their local emergency preparedness office to identify ways they can help meet local needs, and even be written into the emergency plan. “Let’s talk about what capabilities you can bring into the fight,” Miguez said encouragingly.

If you are interested in more conversations about how to identify super powers in your own church, and how to be a force multiplier for good in your community, please be encouraged to contact me atlibby.janes@synodsun.org! I look forward to hearing about the wonderful ministries your church is dreaming of growing in your own community.