An update on the last post...
The second child passed away this morning. Because I'm the only minister the family has had any contact with, I've been asked to conduct the funeral for both girls this coming Wednesday.
Tomorrow evening I'll be participating in a Critical Incident Stress Management debriefing for any of the public safety personnel who were involved yesterday. CISM is a wonderful tool to help those who are confronted with handling criticial incidents while at the same time they're doing their job. I'm actually on the CISM team, but tomorrow evening I'll be among those being debriefed.
If you're a praying person, please remember the family and the first responders (firefighters, EMS, law enforcement) and the hospital staff in the ER who are hurting with this tragedy. Pray also that I'll be able to use this opportunity to point someone to Christ.
I have no answers to the "why?" questions, only hope.
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12 comments:
Dear Rick,
I will be praying... May your words through the Holly Spirit bring consolation to this family.
May God gives you His strength to help carry the burden of hurting people.
In times like this, we can only cry "Daddy" and lift our arms up to be held.
I pray you and all involved will feel held tightly in His arms.
Praying That God will give you the strenght, as he has done many times before, to comfort the folks that have been touched by this tragic incident. Praying that he will use you to guide folks to his mercy and grace. And lastly that he will comfort you as you take on this very hard endeavor.
My thoughts and prayers are with you and everyone else touched by this tragedy.
Fear not; for I am with thee, be not dismayed for I am thy God; I will strengthen thee, I will hold thee with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10
Myra
Our prayers will be with this family and with you as you minister to them. Only the assurance of a larger and brighter picture could bring any measure of peace to this brokenness.
Thank you for carrying this message to them.
Oh, Rick! I am so very sorry! Certainly my prayers will continue for you and all involved as you "debrief" together tomorrow evening. And, in all you will need to be doing in the days ahead, may God make His love, strength, and peace abundantly clear to you...and may the grieving family come to know God in a way that they have, perhaps, never experienced before!
Thank you for serving your community in the capacity of chaplain. I don't think most people realize the toll tragedies like this one take on the emergency personnel involved especially when children are concerned. Yes, they are professionals, but they are also human beings who do what they do to help others. When children are involved the pain and trauma rises to a whole new level. As a firefighter/paramedic's wife (although in Texas) I just want you to know what a special service you provide. I will keep everyone involved in my prayers.
Rick... We will both be praying for you and all who were involved with this tragic incident. May God wrap his arms tightly around each of you and keep you close to Him during this time.
We will also remember especially the family in this loss.
Praying for you today.
Further to my previous post, we read Psalm 13 in church this morning, and it was so appropriate to use as a prayer for you and for the family involved:
1 How long, O LORD ? Will you forget me forever?
How long will you hide your face from me?
2 How long must I wrestle with my thoughts
and every day have sorrow in my heart?
How long will my enemy triumph over me?
3 Look on me and answer, O LORD my God.
Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death;
4 my enemy will say, "I have overcome him,"
and my foes will rejoice when I fall.
5 But I trust in your unfailing love;
my heart rejoices in your salvation.
6 I will sing to the LORD,
for he has been good to me.
I am praying for the family, for you, and for all of the responders.
May God continue to use you to touch people and to further his kingdom here on earth.
Thank you for what you do.
We had been watching the story here at the beach. I feel a bit of relief knowing you are there for the family and the community.
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