Tsunami Memorial Service

Samoans gathered for a national day of mourning after 143 people were killed in Samoa and at least 32 people died in the neighboring island American Samoa and then 9 in Tonga, today Friday October 9th,2009. A memorial service was held at a stadium in the capital, to honour the victims. Following the ceremony, 11 unclaimed bodies were buried in a mass grave. The government had initially expected about 100 victims to be buried in the mass grave, but most families have opted for private burials in keeping with the local tradition of laying their dead to rest close to their homes. A search continues for six people still missing.

I cannot imagine having to identify an unknown body with the possibility that it might be one of my loved ones. I pray that I never have to experience that trial. The people of Samoa are a lot stronger than I am.

The result of a natural disaster.

The burial of unknown bodies, by the size of this casket you can see that it is a child. I am grateful that this child is with our Heavenly Father and that He has embraced that little angel with open arms and that that child is safe and watching above.

I see these struggles that these people are having to endure and I wonder what am I suppose to learn from this tragic event? What am I suppose to learn? This is a question I have been pondering and I wonder maybe the Lord is warning me to always be prepared. The people of Samoa did not have a warning, but I feel that I am to heed the warning that they werent given. I dont know if the earthquakes are over and the natural disasters are stopped for now, but while I live on this island I can only be prepared for such occasions. This weekend it is mine and Evans goal to get our 72 kits ready. We have some stuff, but I really feel that even if nothing is going to happen that the Lord is testing my obedience. I really feel that I can be faithful in the most simple way by just being prepared. And so, as tomorrow approaches, we hope to be successful and accomplish our goal of being prepared, obedient, and faithful.