One of the surprising highlights for me was visiting St Paul's Chapel. We hadn't planned on visiting St Paul's, but one day on a walk during a break from the conference we were right beside it. This church is across the street from the World Trade Center site and played a huge roll in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks. The chapel served as a refuge for the weary firemen and others who worked long hard hours in the months that followed. Now the chapel houses a memorial honoring those who died, worked, and volunteered. What struck me most was the pulling together of local (and national and international) people to meet the wide array of needs. Chiropractors offered free services to firemen, a schoolteacher collected teddy bears for the children of NYC, string quartets came and played while volunteers ladled soup to exhausted workers. A picture of God's kingdom. Each person offering their gifts.
One station in the memorial had a cot made up as it had been for the firemen as they slept between shifts. The sign stated that each day volunteers would strip the sheets and remake the bed with fresh sheets. Tears filled my eyes as the holiness of that act overwhelmed me. Imagining the stretching out and smoothing of the new sheets; a simple task. And deep and sacred.
Here are a couple shots Lance took while we were there
If you look carefully you can see (from left to right) Laura, Me, Terri and Nelson on the street corner.
2 comments:
keep the stories and pictures coming :)
Wow! Just the act of spreading those fresh sheets in remembrance brought tears to my eyes. youch! That IS quite the act eh? LOVEIT:)
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