Remembering 9/11/2001: From Horror to Hope

That horrific day changed life in America and touched us all in some way.  We never thought we'd live to see an attack on our own land.  And such a ferocious, deadly, and vicious attack.  

But 13 years later we are still standing.  Amidst wars and rumors of wars we just have to keep praying and believing God that He didn't bring us this far to leave us.  And we have to hold on to the fact that if God brought us through before, He's the same God today that He was yesterday and will be forever more.  

I just wanted to share this picture in memory of those who lost their lives on 9/11/2001, and in thanks to the many first responders who worked around the clock trying to rescue survivors.  And prayers to those who lost family and friends.

Cargo Plane carrying khat crashed Wednesday morning in Nairobi, Kenya; four dead

Cargo plane crashed in Nairobi, Kenya this morning

(photo credit:  NBCNews.com)

At approximately 3:35 am this morning a plane crashed into an airport shopping center in Nairobi, Kenya.  According to authorities on the scene it could have been much worse if not for the time the accident occurred.  So far ABC NEWS is reporting that four people died in the crash.  The known victims include the pilot, flight engineer, and two other crew members.  Two guards at the plaza were also injured.

The plane was a white Fokker 50 propeller plane.  The plane was flying to Somalia when it crashed into the shopping area.  The force of the impact ripped the plane in two with the front half of the plane buried in the building, and the back half sticking out into the parking area.  

(Continue reading full story here.)

Newlywed couple dead; crashed head-on into each other while texting each other

Nicolas Cruz and Christina Munoz died while texting each other.

(Photo Credit:  Nicolas Cruz via Facebook)

A sad story out of Texas that demonstrates, once again, just how quickly life can change.  On June 5^th, a Texan newlywed couple was killed in a car crash.  Authorities just released new information yesterday that the couple was texting each other during the wreck that landed both vehicles in a ditch.  The ironic part is that they were driving to meet each other.  The ill-fated couple was identified as Christina Munoz, 26, and Nicolas Cruz, 31.

As the couple was approaching each other from opposite directions, something happened and Munoz apparently lost control of the car.  Her 1999 Saturn veered into the oncoming lane and she crashed head-on into the 1990 Mazda pickup truck that her husband Cruz was driving.  (Continue reading full story here.)

Coal mine explosion in Turkey; 363 safe, 238 dead, rescue efforts ongoing

Miners wait amidst the rubble of exploded coal mine in Turkey

to hear word of their fellow workers.

(photo credit:  Ahmet Sik/Getty Images)

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has declared three days of national mourning in Turkey after a huge explosion ripped through a coal mine in Soma yesterday.  A few hours ago President Erdogan confirmed in a press conference that 363 miners have been found alive and 238 dead bodies have been recovered.  There were 787 working in the mine at the time of the explosion.

Prior to the killing fires surging through the mines yesterday, Turkey’s worst mining disaster was the 1992 gas explosion in a mine close to Zonguldak (near the shores of the Black Sea).  The death toll in that tragedy was 263 miners.  Authorities fear that this explosion is on track to far surpass that one in the sheer numbers of lives lost.

Many of the miners Tuesday were working approximately 460 yards below ground, but (Continue reading full story here.)

Pres. of S. Korea blasts ferry captain; says actions 'tantamount to murder'

Recovery efforts continue in tragic sinking of S. Korean Ferry, Sewol

(photo credi:  Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images)

"You must've said, 'Daddy, save me,'" wept one father.  His shout and the cries of other mourners were so chilling, that in a CNN news video, police guarding the recovery area of the sunken South Korean Ferry were seen wiping tears from their own faces.  Last Wednesday the ferry, Sewol, sunk while carrying high school students on a field trip.  Today, South Korean President Park Guen-Hye bluntly lashed out at the ferry’s captain and crew, calling their actions as the tragedy unfolded “tantamount to murder”.

English.news.cn is reporting that as of today 87 are confirmed dead, 174 have been rescued, and 215 still are unaccounted for.  As details begin to unfold, investigators are alleging that Captain Lee Joon-Seok made several errors in judgment.  The ferry made a turn without properly slowing down.  When the ferry started going down Captain Joon-Seok was not actually at the wheel of the ship.  He had given the helm to a third mate who’d had no prior experience sailing rough waters.

Joon-Seok has defended his actions saying he felt if he’d ordered evacuations, it would have been worse for the students because they would have been spread out in the waters, and there were not many ships in the vicinity to assist with rescue efforts and lift the kids out of the water.  So he ordered the passengers to remain in place until further notice.

President Guen-Hye was furious and dismayed because despite ordering others to remain onboard, Captain Joon-Seok and some of the other crew were among the first to leave the ship when the rescuers came, instead of staying behind and tending to the welfare of the students entrusted in their care.  Captain Joon-Seok was arrested after the accident on multiple charges to include negligence and abandoning ship. Over the weekend several more of the crew were arrested, bringing the total to seven.

Senators' Hard Hearts: An American Farce

 Photo Credit:  Doug Mills/The New York Times

Shame, Shame, Shame on the Senate of the United States of America.  Against the hard brick wall of partisan blocking, President Obama brought out the big "guns" (so to speak) of almost the only thing sure to turn hearts of stone into human hearts:  the eyes of those who had  lost loved ones in the Newtown Massacre.  And believe it or not, the Senate didn't blink.  They stood their ground against all reason.  Read, and please remember come election time, how your Senator voted. Did he/she vote in a way that really represents what you believe in?

The Senate trampled through the salty puddles of tears from the combined families with weak excuses like: