11 September 2008
September 11th, 7 years later
Thirty times. I had to fill out a form for the department of health for NYC and the answer I came up with was close to thirty times.
Every six months or less, I get reminders in the mail from NYC of the best worst year of my life. They update us on health for the registry, of all those who served or lived on or near GROUND ZERO, or the MORGUE, or the DUMP... I forget the name of the island... fish something.
In early November of 2001 I spent a week on Manhattan Island with my church. It was my first official soiree as a Chaplain. I wore my dress blues to Memorial Services/ Funerals of Fire Fighters and Police Officers. Over the year I would attend more of these than the rest of my life, combined.
We took day trips and took over night trips. Our teams fed food to the workers at Ground Zero, walked the perimeter giving coffee or hot chocolate and snacks to the PD guarding the site, ministered to families and workers at the Morgue...
I remember a business man in a suit sitting on a statue's base, telling his story of the day Hell came to Manhattan. We cried together and I prayed for him. I spent some time with a particular police man, making sure to visit from time to time, and getting Bibles to him ('God's Word for Peace Officers').
A restaurant nearby was closed to the public, and opened for the workers at Ground Zero, as well as firemen and police. It was a safe haven where we served by cutting up vegetables, lugging boxes, serving the men and women, and praying with them as needed.
Mission NYC, Harvest Christian Fellowship, Calvary Chapel, Samaritan's Purse, Billy Graham Prayer Center, American Red Cross, American Heart Association, Salvation Army, Southern Baptist's... We worked alongside them all.
Some days or nights we'd just walk around as tourists. We'd approach the sad and share hope. I have no idea how many we prayed with. Most, for sure.
There's more, but I'm distracted. There's more, but there's life. There's more, but Jesus will need to bring it out. There's more, but not now.
Because of Who HE is,
Blessings!
ChaplainChas.
Labels: Ground Zero, Jesus, Morgue, never forget, remember, Sept 11
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