[Magdalen] Gone in an hour

[Christopher Hart]

Sally, I've only just now read this after returning from an overnight away
with my wife. How heartbreaking. I can't imagine how devastating it must
feel to you and your boys.

On Sat, 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
>



-- 

Christopher Hart

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