Please remember

I was only thinking the other day how quickly our media moves from one disaster to another, but often doesn't revisit to give us an up-date.  And I don't mean a sensational up-date, just the facts (ok, I might be asking for to much from the media).  An example of this was the Christchurch earthquakes. I had been wondering if all the bodies had been recovered  as I was thinking about all those families still waiting.  By this point the news had moved onto Japan, and now of course, Libya. After Libya, it will be something else.

My thoughts about this was so beautiful written by Jeanne at "A peaceful day" - who was devastated by the floods in northern Victoria.  While we all move on, thanks to the media who cleverly move us on to the "next big story", families like Jeanne's are still picking up the pieces.  Their road to recovering will be long and painful.  Sadly most of us will forget all about their stories once they have been removed from our TV screens.

Their pain and tears are very real - I know this because I have been there.  Not as an adult but as a 16 year old - February 16, 1983 - Ash Wednesday fires. My memories of this day are very real - I can tell you in detail what happened.  This day still can bring tears to my eyes when I think of how close I came to loosing my parents and my home.  The physical scars of the landscape have disappeared but the memories never do.  So for families like Jeanne's and the many others -  they are still suffering even if we aren't hearing about it on the news. Likewise, those in Queensland, New Zealand and Japan.  

So to all my dear readers, please don't forget Jeanne and all those who have suffered in recent disasters  . . . they need our prayers to get through these difficult times.  As she says in her blog - "it's not a sprint it is a marathon".
My parents farm days after the Ash Wednesday Fires, 1983
 What it looked like before the fires
The apple orchard - a lifetime of work, gone in a few moments

~oOo~

Comments

  1. ClaraMarch 21, 2011 at 9:36 AM

    It's very easy to forget the hardships people face when we live in a stable world, untouched by any of the disasters in our own personal lives. Although - this is true even without the disasters you've mentioned - I mean how often do any of us think of the persecution of Christians worldwide - persecution that happens on a daily basis? And what about the famines in countries like Africa (that we never even hear about on the news), and other such terrible tragedies? For some peoples these tragedies are a daily event day in, day out, year in, year out... Not just a one off when a huge flood or earthquake hits.

    You are so right, Jo - we need to remember... And Shame on us if we don't remember how blessed we are every day of our lives. We live a life of plenty in Australia (and America and other "developed" nations) - a life of excess, even. If only we remembered how abundantly we are blessed and privileged.

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  2. Janettessage.blogspot.comMarch 21, 2011 at 11:18 AM

    Yes and thanks for the reminder...as that truth is for all people going through things that are a marathon and not sprint. We have become a fast food mentality...thanks for the reminder.

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  3. Mum-meMarch 21, 2011 at 11:55 AM

    I remember thinking the same thing recently as the news moved from the floods in Rockhamptom to the Brisbane floods to the Victoria floods, which were then all but forgotten as Cyclone Yasi came along and now we're left wondering how all those folks are faring while we hop from New Zealand to Japan to the middle east. It is good to hear breaking news, but yes - updates would be good too.

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  4. TaniaMarch 21, 2011 at 1:36 PM

    I often think back to the miners that perished in New Zealand, we heard all about it for ages, then nothing. Those families are still suffering along with all the others affected by disasters.

    Praying for the many, many forgotten people out there left to try and rebuild their lives from scratch or without their loved ones.

    Tania

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  5. Krystal KatsMarch 22, 2011 at 7:19 AM

    Hi Jo, I visited you a few weeks ago well a month ago and you kindly visited me back!! thank you! I agree about the media and I wonder about the last sensational story as well. Perhaps you can find your answers online or page 4 of the newspaper where they seem to bury important things. Have a lovely day in our crazy world if that is possible and I guess it is, just have to close out the world and turn to God and pray for those that are suffering. Big hugs

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  6. Vicki BosterMarch 26, 2011 at 1:10 PM

    Jo - you have made a wonderful point about how the media does move us along - and so often we tend to "forget" those who are recovering from disasters that are no longer the news of topic. My prayers are for all those who are suffering~~

    The photos or your home are so dramatic - you must have been so frightened as a child. Those fires came very close to your home. It is so true - in just a second - or the link of an eye - our whole lives can change~~

    Vicki

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