Black Saturday - Pray for the fire victims and the volunteers involved

10th Feb 2009

Dear Friends and Fellow Ministers

Last Saturday afternoon I flew into Melbourne where I was picked up and driven north to Shepparton to speak at a combined church rally.

On the way we drove through as scene that had the hallmarks of Hell itself - temperatures were hovering in the 45-47 degrees and the wind gusting at 80 kmp and buffeting the car. It was frightening but what was most scary was the fact we were on the edge of the bushfires that have killed at least 173 people and destroyed hundreds of homes. We were enveloped in black smoke, dust and haze as we were diverted by police from the Hume Highway around towns I have never even heard of, towns such Kilmore and Flowerdale - which sadly now every Australian is aware of!

Some of these towns now cease to exist. My driver and I watched horrified as the whole bush seemed to be on fire while in the distance we watched "Elvis' - the water bombing helicopter dropping its pay load. I knew it was bad but never imagined the extent of the horror, death and destruction taking place before my eyes - people losing their loved ones, homes - in
fact everything they possessed!

On the Sunday the combined churches of Shepparton prayed for the victims and their families of the tragedy happening just miles down the road from them.
As I drove back to the airport on Monday we caught glimpses of the destruction and devastation that engulfed this area. Jan and I can relate to how these people feel - we lost our home in Darwin during Cyclone Tracey in 1974.

I would like to take this opportunity to sincerely express my families
horror at what has transpired and our collective sympathy goes to those who have suffered loss of loved ones, homes and possessions. We also wish to honour those tireless men and women of the firefighting services and police
- who selflessly lay their lives on the line in such disasters. Others that should be commended are the hundreds of volunteers, chaplains, pastors etc who are helping .

These people need our help and our deepest prayers at this time. Please pray for the victims and support the victims financially through the Red Cross Bushfire appeal. Donations can be made online through a secure website dedicated to this specific national catastrophe:

https://www.redcross.org.au/Donations/onlineDonations.asp

A scripture that comes to mind at such times is found in Psalm 66:12: "We went through the fire and water, but then You bought us out and refreshed us."

In His service

Col Stringer