Disaster Recovery Plans

Light Bulb Coffee, La Mesa, CA

I am a terrible movie watcher. I don’t cope well with plot holes. Everyone else will talk about the scenes they loved, the parts that captured their imaginations. I, however, will talk about plot holes and major oversights.

If you give me the characters’ ages for backstory, you’d better believe I’ll do the math to see if the backstory makes sense (ahem, Shang Chi.) And if you include a scene with a destructive battle, can you tell me why the protagonists don’t have to file a police report or two before hopping on a commercial airplane? (Ahem, Shang Chi again.) 

Indulge me, dear reader, with one more example. I promise there’s a point.

For the most part, I enjoy the Marvel movie Ant Man. However, the plot resolution doesn’t pass muster for me. Near the end of the movie, the good guys blow up a technology company and save the day. Supposedly, all the servers that held the evil-enabling-secret-sauce technology are destroyed. 

Umm… you’re telling me that these smarty parties didn’t have offsite backup servers? At my work, we have a disaster recovery plan. All of our servers’ data is replicated offsite. In the event of a disaster, the data is no more than a few hours behind. I find it hard to believe that the filmmakers themselves didn’t have a disaster recovery plan.

Oh disaster recovery plans. The point of a disaster recovery plan is to have asked all the right questions when things are calm so that you aren’t panicking when chaos strikes. 

Our missionary friends who serve in Ukraine returned to Chula Vista a few days ago. Their hearts are with their people in Ukraine. They hope to return to Kyiv. Disaster is currently happening on the geo-political stage, but the recovery plan is to go back when they’re able and be part of the spiritual and humanitarian restoration process. 

Sometimes, the first step of our disaster recovery plan is nothing more than to lean on our training. I’ve heard that Navy Seals regularly practice their exercises so that when they’re on an actual mission, their muscle memory kicks in.

During the siege of Sarajevo, the cellist Vedran Smailović played his cello in ruined buildings and during funerals, often under the threat of snipers. In the midst of chaos, he fell back on his training and did what he could to cut through the destruction with beauty and bravery.

The C&MA church in Kyiv has been trying to get women and children out of the battle zone. But on Sundays 2/27 and 3/6 (and on the days in between), their disaster recovery plan has been the same plan they always have - to worship Jesus with the people of God and praise Him despite what is happening around them.

Just like the coffee shop that has an “in case of emergency” stash of coffee beans, the Church has prayer, proclamation, and praise when things are “normal” and when things are in a state of emergency. 

Pray for Ukraine. Pray for Russia. Pray for our leaders. 

And may we not forsake the regular Christian spiritual disciplines - praying, fasting, meditating on God’s Word, meeting with fellow believers, giving generously, worshipping Jesus - so that when adversity strikes, our training kicks in and our faith in Jesus deepens. 

In disaster, in recovery, and in the making of disaster recovery plans, to God be the glory.

“Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!

For who has known the mind of the Lord,
or who has been his counselor?
Or who has given a gift to him
that he might be repaid?

For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.”

Romans 11:33-36

If you’d like to learn more about the humanitarian aid efforts in Kyiv, the C&MA has more information here: Ukraine-Russia Conflict Response.