It's been a very difficult week for our province of Newfoundland and Labrador. I think most know of the helicopter which crashed into the Atlantic Ocean, killing 17 of the 18 on board. The helicopter was en route to the off shore oil rigs, where it was to deliver workers. (Here is a link)
I cannot even begin to describe the way Newfoundlanders look out for one another on a regular daily basis....but when something of this magnitude happens....that care and compassion is really beyond words. It's something that must be experienced or witnessed in order to be fully understood.
There was a memorial service at the Basilica in St. John's tonight. There were over 1300 people in attendance....standing room only. Ministers from all faiths took part in the service and worked together in a style of service with practices that were not familiar to them. They made it look, however, like they did it regularly....and they did it all for the support of families who lost loved ones.
The word "prayer" has been used publicly this week...many, many times. It's been refreshing to see the usual political correctness of our modern society has not been alive during all this.
The spring session of provincial parliament was to begin tomorrow, but they've decided to delay this due to the events of this week. Again, refreshing to see people are more important than anything else.
Newfoundlanders are caring and compassionate...but at the same time very strong. This is certainly not the first tragedy of the sea. They pull together, support one another but somehow continue to carry on. I have no doubt this time will be the same.
In the meantime....my heart goes out to the families and friends who have lost loved ones.
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3 comments:
My sympathies to you and your community on such a tragedy - I had heard of it on the Irish news but of course the impact there is much greater. And you are a small community of half a million according to the linked newspaper article.
A man from Lismore (Michael Walsh) my home town in Waterford is just home from Newfoundland - he was attending the March Hare poetry/arts festival, I have heard of it as there are such strong Waterford-Newfoundland links.
Thinking of you at this sad time, and you really feel solidarity in tragedy uniting you all.
We heard of it immediately out here, of course. Such a loss... oh I'm no good with stuff like this. Never know what the right thing to say is... It's a horrid tragedy and nothin' anyway says is gonna fix it anyway, I s'pose. Just sucks all 'round.
(I know what ya mean about the 'style' there though, for sure.)
I had not heard about this down here in the upper Midwest of US but I have not watched much news lately. Please know your community is in my thoughts and prayers. Thank you for sharing this with us.
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