Love And Rescue 09/11/19

Gifford Pinchot State Park, Lewisberry, Pennsylvania

Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow . . . and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord . . .  ~ Philippians 2:9-11

Today marks the 18^th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks on America.  I found the following information about a few unsung heroes by Sara Kettler on Biography.com:

American Airlines Flight 11 was the first plane to be hijacked on the morning of September 11, 2001. After terrorists seized control at around 8:15 am, flight attendants Betty Ong and Madeline Amy Sweeney managed to contact the airline. Ong described their situation, including the terrorists’ use of a mace-like gas, and Sweeney relayed where the hijackers had been sitting. The two helped authorities understand the kind of threat the country was facing, and the information they shared would prove useful in identifying the hijackers. The flight attendants stayed on their calls until nearly the moment their plane was deliberately flown into the North Tower of the World Trade Center at 8:46 a.m.

Stanley Praimnath was on the 81st floor of the South Tower when a second plane, United Airlines Flight 175, struck at 9:03 am. Praimnath’s location was close enough to the strike point that he could see the plane approaching. Though he miraculously survived, the resulting damage and destruction left him with no discernible way out. Fortunately, Brian Clark, who also worked in the tower, responded to Praimnath’s cries for help. With Clark’s encouragement, Praimnath managed to jump past debris blocking his way. The two men proceeded to descend from the destroyed upper floors and made it out of the tower. Clark felt Praimnath had helped him survive as well — the group he’d been with when he went to Praimnath’s aid had climbed higher to await help, a decision with fatal consequences as the South Tower collapsed at 9:59 am.

Following the attacks, exiting the World Trade Center’s towers via elevator wasn’t an option. Those evacuating upper floors had to descend in sweltering stairwells that were often filled with smoke. The route was difficult enough for the able-bodied; for wheelchair users it was impossible. When Michael Benfante encountered wheelchair user Tina Hansen on the 68th floor of the North Tower, he and co-worker John Cerqueira carried her in a lightweight emergency chair down multiple flights and through treacherous conditions. Fortunately, all three safely got out of the building.

The Pentagon was the third target of the morning, with American Airlines Flight 77 hitting the building at 9:37 am. Thanks to the efforts of survivors and first responders who bravely entered the fiery crash site, many of the injured made it outside the building. There, a triage area had been set up by Patricia Horoho, an Army nurse who was then a lieutenant colonel. Though Horoho had nothing more than a first aid kit to work with at first, her knowledge and experience in burn care and trauma management helped her oversee the provision of medical treatment. She’s credited with caring for 75 people that day, though she noted, “It was an integrated effort by so many people.”

Frank De Martini, a construction manager who worked for the Port Authority, and Pablo Ortiz, a Port Authority construction instructor, were inside the North Tower when it was hit. They survived, but instead of seeking safety they began to help people trapped on the tower’s 88th and 89th floors. Along with some of their coworkers, the two are thought to have saved at least 50 lives by opening stuck elevator doors, clearing offices, directing people to exits, and otherwise providing a lifeline amid dust, flames and obstructions. They were likely trying to come to the aid of additional people when the North Tower collapsed at 10:28 am.

United Airlines Flight 93 was the fourth plane hijacked that morning. Yet the plane’s departure from Newark Airport had been delayed until 8:41 am, and the terrorist hijackers didn’t seize control until around 9:30. The timing meant that when passengers and crew phoned their loved ones, they learned of the other attacks, and understood the hijackers’ intentions for their flight. At least four passengers — Todd Beamer, Mark Bingham, Tom Burnett, and Jeremy Glick — decided to fight back and try to keep the plane they were on from becoming another destructive missile. Burnett told his wife, a flight attendant, “I know we’re all going to die. There’s three of us who are going to do something about it. I love you, honey.” 

On the plane, flight attendant Sandra Bradshaw boiled water, pitchers of which became a weapon alongside cutlery and fire extinguishers. A food cart was launched at the locked cockpit door. The terrorists, realizing the cockpit might be breached, crashed the plane in a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, at 10:03 am, killing those on board. These heroic actions kept Flight 93 from reaching its intended target — the terrorists may have planned to strike the White House or the U.S. Capitol Building — and an unknown number of innocent lives were spared.

People are evacuated by boat after the attack on the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001.  Manhattan’s status as an island can sometimes be forgotten, but the attacks of September 11 highlighted this fact. Though some of those seeking refuge from the area around the World Trade Center were able to travel north, and others crossed the Brooklyn Bridge on foot, thousands had no choice but to head south toward the water. However, instead of finding themselves trapped, they were met by boats ready to provide transportation. Craft had begun to gather even before a call for assistance went out from the Coast Guard. These boats arrived despite the smoke-filled air, which made it difficult to navigate, and understandable fears that another attack might happen at any moment. In the end, more than 100 vessels — from ferries and tugboats to fishing boats and ships that normally offered dinner cruises — took part in the boatlift. Over the course of nine hours, an estimated 500,000 people — many scared, bleeding, or in shock — were carried away to safer locations.

The 9/11 attacks resulted in an immediate loss of 2,753 lives in New York City. This prompted many people to volunteer to help the city in whatever way they could. Some arrived from locations like California, Texas and Virginia. Others were New York City residents, such as Sister Cynthia Mahoney, a nun who’d recently moved there from South Carolina. She had emergency medical training, so quickly jumped into an ambulance to offer her assistance. For six months, she kept returning to Ground Zero, the site of the destroyed World Trade Center, to provide counseling and bless remains. She wrote, “I am grateful I can work in this war zone and be a witness to the heroism every single day… But, when I get home, I do have a hard time. What I’ve seen has been challenging, but what will stay with me forever is the smell. It is like nothing I have ever experienced.” Sister Cynthia died in 2006, having suffered from lung disease she believed was linked to her time volunteering in the toxin-filled air at Ground Zero.

Firefighters walk towards one of the towers at the World Trade Center before it collapsed on September 11, 2001.  Among the men and women killed on September 11 were many first responders who were at the World Trade Center to assist those trapped and injured by the attacks. The deaths include 23 New York City police officers, 37 Port Authority officers, and 343 members of the New York City fire department. Those who lost their lives in the line of duty were heroes. Yet the first responders who continued to show up and work in the days after the attacks demonstrated their own heroism. After losing colleagues, friends and family members, firefighters, police officers, and others reported for duty at Ground Zero. There, they endured grueling shifts and dangerous conditions as they looked for survivors and searched for remains.

Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.  ~ John 15:13

We saw Jesus today!     

Months and months ago, Blaine had the foresight to check and see what was playing at the Sight and Sound Theater in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  Previously we’d seen Moses and Joseph and were quite impressed – especially with Moses.  This time though . . . it was not only impressive, but extremely emotional!  We weren’t expecting that.  Not really.

I thought Blaine was crazy when he wanted to leave home two hours before showtime.  After all, it was only a bit under an hour away.  But it turned out, he wasn’t crazy at all and once again, I marveled at his ability to plan and think ahead.  The traffic was so heavy and backed up, it took us an additional 25 minutes of driving time!  And all because of a tiny bit of bridge work in a town along the way!

As a side note that I have no picture of, we drove passed Dicky’s BBQ Pit.  Sitting right next to Ultimate Weight Loss System.  Hahaha!  That’s the kind of thing Jay Leno would’ve loved to put on his show!  😊

So back to the show.

It’s such an emotional presentation, I don’t know how the actors manage.  I’ll bet they had trouble the first few dress rehearsals.  I don’t cry easily, but today I cried during the Prodigal Son, Legion (the demon possessed man), the crucifixion, when Mary screamed in agony when Jesus was placed in the tomb and the ascension!  It’s a really good thing the Lord put to my mind this morning to stick a couple of Kleenex in my pocket (in case my nose was running, because I’d been sneezing before we left from pollen or something).  I didn’t need them for my nose until the show started!

If you’ve never been to Sight and Sound, we highly recommend it.  My mom tried to get us to go for years, but it’s not close to Akron, so we never took the time until right before retirement.  They present ‘homemade’ musical productions of Bible stories, throw in some live animals that run through the center aisles, and fantastic moving set pieces.  They presented their first complete, full-length Biblical production in 1987, called Behold the Lamb.  Since then they’ve produced Noah, The Miracle of Christmas, Daniel and the Lions’ Den, Ruth, In the Beginning, Behold the Lamb (again), Joseph, Jonah, Moses, Samson, Jesus and coming next year, Queen Esther.

We’ve seen Moses, Joseph, Samson and now Jesus here in Lancaster.

In 2008, they opened an identical location in Branson, Missouri. 

Of course, you’re not permitted to take pictures during the show, and I could list many, many highlights, but I’ll stick to just one.  When Jesus went into the temple to overthrow the tables of the money changers, just as he flipped the table, everything went into slow motion!  The table tipped slowly to the floor, the money was falling slowly (possibly some large pieces of glitter?) and all the actors moved in slow motion!  Wonderful visual!  And in case you’re wondering, they didn’t spend much time on the crucifixion. 

The main theme of the show is love and rescue.  Here’s a word from the director that was printed in our program:

When we first set sail on this production, we immersed ourselves in the Gospels – Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.  As we did, one word kept rising up in our minds . . . rescue.

As we read and reread the stories of the Savior, an overwhelming sense of God’s love filled our hearts . . . love that rescues . . . that was it.  That was the anchor that kept this portrayal of Jesus from drifting into the waters of endless possibilities.

He left heaven . . . he lived among us . .  he strapped on sandals, rolled up his sleeves, embraced the untouchables, pursued the outcasts, opened the eyes of the blind, delivered the tormented, healed the sick, walked on water and reached into the lives of those sinking beneath the storms of life.

But he did not come just to rescue these few . . .

What you are about to experience is not a history lesson on the most famous person ever to walk the earth.  It is not even necessarily a story of Jesus’ life.

It’s a story of Jesus’ love, which we believe, is life.

Enjoy the greatest rescue story of all time . . .

Joshua Enck, Producer/Director

After the show we walked over to Hershey Farm Restaurant for a meal in the middle of the afternoon.  Of course, it’s advertised as an Amish Buffett, but it wasn’t really Amish food.  Still, it was very good!  I was full after only two small plates, but kept shoveling more in anyway.  Pretty sure gluttony’s a sin.  You’d think after watching a show like “Jesus” that we’d consider that.  But we didn’t.  And besides the buffet, they also had a fresh grill chef.  He’d make things for you on demand.  Things like chicken parmesan, chicken alfredo, philly cheesesteak sandwich, and I don’t know what all else.  Blaine gave it a try, but I was stuck on the fried chicken.  😊

We’d walked from the show to dinner, and when we returned to the Jeep, we found it surrounded by buses!  These buses were here for the next show. Well, they’re the ones who parked us here!  I suppose they expected us to leave after the show. . . . 

And lastly, we received a few pictures of our youngest grandchildren today.  It was Kade’s first day of pre-school.  😊