[Magdalen] Gone in an hour

[Judy Fleener]

Praying for you and yours, Sally.

On Sat, Jun 10, 2017 at 1:49 PM, Grace Cangialosi <gracecan at gmail.com>
wrote:

> Oh, Sally, words fail... What a terrible thing!
> I will hold you and all those affected in my prayers.
>
> Grace
>
> > On Jun 10, 2017, at 12:00 PM, Sally Davies <sally.davies at gmail.com>
> wrote:
> >
> > Dear friends
> >
> > I'm so sad about this...my childrens' school has burned down.
> >
> > The kids who stay in hostel were evacuated at dawn with whatever they
> could
> > carry, the many staff who live there as well though some stayed and tried
> > to fight the raging wildfire.
> >
> > The 30 horses in the school stables and various pets also evacuated to
> > safety.
> >
> > For a few hours earlier it looked hopeful as a brave team of professional
> > and volunteer firefighters brought the fire under control and got it to
> go
> > around the school to make a fire break.
> >
> > But then this afternoon a gale blew in (ahead of a cold front, so a dry
> > warm wind from inland) - and they had to get themselves to safety.
> >
> > Last pictures showed the admin area, reception and some of the houses
> > burning.
> >
> > The wind has dropped now but night has fallen...it's going to be a long
> > one.
> >
> > Desperate as this is, there are people worse off. West of Knysna, which
> has
> > been devastated for days now because surrounded by forests, people had
> been
> > evacuated to a centre near the beach at Buffels Bays. That has now burned
> > and they are trapped on the beach.
> >
> > Many have lost their homes, livelihoods and there has been loss of life.
> As
> > well, of course, all the wild animals who perish; at Woodridge we had a
> > pesky but cute troop of vervet monkeys and in the valleys around at least
> > one troop of baboons, as well as many other wild animals. In the Knysna
> > forest there are many rare animals and birds, not least the famous Knysna
> > elephants (and there's an Elephant Park there now as well as a monkey and
> > primate park).
> >
> > It's unbearable and feels like South Africa is under some kind of
> Biblical
> > curse. Today we got news of another downgrade, this time by Moody's. And
> > our corrupt thieving National Government is nowhere to be seen, much less
> > our armed forces when we need them.
> >
> > Please continue to pray for us...my boys seem OK but I think they're in
> > shock. Donal is in Year 12...how will he finish his school year and final
> > exams? What about the school play they've been working so hard on for
> > months now...?
> >
> > How do we explain this pain and sorrow to kids who already doubt the
> > existence and love of God?
> >
> > Sally D
>



-- 
Judy Fleener, ObJN,SSH
Western Michigan