A Chaplain, who happened to be assigned to the Pentagon, told of an incident that happened right after Flight 77 hit the Pentagon on 9/11. A daycare facility inside the Pentagon had many children, including infants who were in heavy cribs. The daycare supervisor, looking at all the children they needed to evacuate, was in a panic over what they could do. There were many children, mostly toddlers, as well as the infants who would need to be taken out with the cribs. There was no time to try to bundle them into carriers and strollers.
Just then a young Marine came running into the centre and asked what they needed. After hearing what the centre director was trying to do, he ran back out into the hallway and disappeared. The director thought, “Well, here we are, on our own.” About 2 minutes later, that Marine returned with 40 other Marines in tow. Each of them grabbed a crib with a child, and the rest started gathering up toddlers.
The director and her staff then helped them take all the children out of the centre and down toward the park near the Potomac. Once they got about 3/4 of a mile outside the building, the Marines stopped in the park, and then did a fabulous thing – they formed a circle with the cribs, which were quite sturdy and heavy, like the covered wagons in the Old West. Inside this circle of cribs, they put the toddlers, to keep them from wandering off. Outside this circle were the 40 Marines, forming a perimeter around the children and waiting for instructions. There they remained until the parents could be notified and come and get their children.
The Chaplain then said, “I don’t think any of us saw nor heard of this on any of the news stories of the day. It was an incredible story of our men there.” There wasn’t a dry eye in the room. The thought of those Marines and what they did and how fast they reacted; could we expect any less from them? It was one of the most touching stories from the Pentagon.
Good news is rarely heard on modern newscasts, as it is filled with violence, death, greed, miss-planning, political unrest, savage hurt to one another, sexual indiscretion and financial exploitation. Cheer and good deeds seem to be a scarcity. It was therefore refreshing to read the above account and also on Christmas Eve to attend a service at Renewal in Solihull. I met my younger brother who was there quite early, as I was, but my earliness was to secure a parking space!
He said he left home at 9:30pm which was unusual for he lives two roads away and would be able to travel the distance in about 5 minutes; the service wasn’t until 11:00pm. As he entered his car the Holy Spirit spoke to him and asked if he had his hospital card [he is Chaplain to several hospitals] he said yes and the Spirit gave him instructions to a ward and bay number in Solihull Hospital. As he entered he was greeted by a couple with their daughter who was severely ill and who attended his church. They were surprised and asked why he had come as they had not requested a Chaplain he said “God bought me here to pray for you” A monk three beds away heard this and requested David pray for him.
In David’s case good news follows him as he responds to the Spirit of God, and obeying His instructions arrives at situations of God’s making, never usually heard of but a catalogue of good and God in people’s lives.
On Boxing Day I was out shopping and noticed the sale of Christmas cards at half price for next year, so I bought some and realised I had inadvertently advertised I would be alive to send them – by faith, good news I thought. As we enter the New Year let us pray that we can impart good news and spread abroad joy and fulfillment in the lives of others. Pessimism is, unfortunately, our second nature, but with God “all things work together for good.” We’d better believe it! Many need help to realise that daily situations are optimized by God for our benefit and the blessing of others. Sometimes we can be accused of being a tad too confident for reason, but with God, why not?
Finally “‘what day is it?’ ‘It’s today’ squeaked piglet. ‘My favourite day’ said Pooh”.
