Last night a number of us were working at the cold weather shelter here in Toronto. Helping out here reminds me of the morning of Friday April 18th 2008: a terrible explosion rocked Nipawin, Saskatchewan – right behind my office. Soon the city was engulfed in flames. The Salvation Army was among the first responders to the incident because we were right there.
It was a difficult time for the community as two of our members were suddenly and tragically taken from us but there were also many blessings and miracles in the midst of this tragedy. I spoke with one lady who was on the street outside the building that exploded. Glass and debris shot out towards her. She was unscathed. I heard of another person who had just paid for their haircut and walked away from the hairdresser’s plate glass window a moment before it shattered in the explosion. Many other people, myself included, earlier in the week were standing right on the corner where the explosion took place to watch this same demolition crew at work. It was a blessing that this accident did not occur then. It was also a blessing that a windstorm that hit Nipawin after the explosion, did not hit until after the fire was out. There are many miracles that the Lord performed in the midst of this tragedy.
Now, understandably, there were upsetting times. As well as the fatalities, there were injuries, lost businesses, and a lost home. There was a couple whose home was lost; they were able to escape but their home, their belongings and their dog were not. The building came crashing down on their dog –who was a part of their family - and the fires raged for as long as they did over the site. That night, in his distress, the pet owner missed the comfort of his dog and he prayed, “God, please let me see my dog one last time – if only just in Heaven.”
The next morning before 7AM when I was delivering coffee to the people on site, I heard it: barking. The SaskEnergy employees had heard it first. They told the firefighters. The firefighters rescued him; he was pretty much unscathed. He was saved. The dog was saved! Praise the Lord it was a miracle; it really was! You should have heard the celebration!
These were some very real miracles in the middle of some really trying times. The Lord still provides miracles and comfort in the midst of our very real struggles and suffering. When have you experienced this?
It was a difficult time for the community as two of our members were suddenly and tragically taken from us but there were also many blessings and miracles in the midst of this tragedy. I spoke with one lady who was on the street outside the building that exploded. Glass and debris shot out towards her. She was unscathed. I heard of another person who had just paid for their haircut and walked away from the hairdresser’s plate glass window a moment before it shattered in the explosion. Many other people, myself included, earlier in the week were standing right on the corner where the explosion took place to watch this same demolition crew at work. It was a blessing that this accident did not occur then. It was also a blessing that a windstorm that hit Nipawin after the explosion, did not hit until after the fire was out. There are many miracles that the Lord performed in the midst of this tragedy.
Now, understandably, there were upsetting times. As well as the fatalities, there were injuries, lost businesses, and a lost home. There was a couple whose home was lost; they were able to escape but their home, their belongings and their dog were not. The building came crashing down on their dog –who was a part of their family - and the fires raged for as long as they did over the site. That night, in his distress, the pet owner missed the comfort of his dog and he prayed, “God, please let me see my dog one last time – if only just in Heaven.”
The next morning before 7AM when I was delivering coffee to the people on site, I heard it: barking. The SaskEnergy employees had heard it first. They told the firefighters. The firefighters rescued him; he was pretty much unscathed. He was saved. The dog was saved! Praise the Lord it was a miracle; it really was! You should have heard the celebration!
These were some very real miracles in the middle of some really trying times. The Lord still provides miracles and comfort in the midst of our very real struggles and suffering. When have you experienced this?
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