I cannot imagine what they are going through over there. 119,000 dead in one short period of time. The closest LARGE city in the area is Green Bay, WI and there is listed
Population (year 2000): 102,313
More people have died than LIVED in Green Bay in 2000!
Similar cities listed below give one an idea of how many people this is!
Corona city, CA 119,594
Thousand Oaks city, CA 119,192
Vancouver city, WA 118,743
Concord city, CA 117,891
Springfield city, IL 117,876
Independence city, MO 117,545
Alexandria city, VA 117,390
Lafayette city, LA 116,806
Sioux Falls city, SD 116,720
Mesquite city, TX 116,179
Springs city, FL 116,136
Cedar Rapids city, IA 115,777
More than most of those cities!! It is beyond my ability to comprehend.
A man grabbed a young boy as he was carried past him, and saw the boy's mother go by, and could do nothing. He and the boy were saved... the mother, who saw her son safe in the man's arms... is gone.
A young mother of two boys from Australia has not enough strength to hang onto both of her boys against the rage of the water, and has to let one go... she holds the baby. She thinks her older son (5) is gone forever. Later, they find him, alive.
A toddler whose uncle found him on the internet is reunited with his father in the hospital his Dad is in... but they don't know where his mother is even now. The reunion is televised. Everyone sees this father break down in tears as he holds his child and knows that part of them is still missing.
Bodies. Some may never be identified. Some are 'holding' their identification for families to find them. 119,000 gone in a very short time! 119,000 people!
Survivors. Those still alive wondering why they were spared, when they saw others near them not make it. One woman said she has always been terrified of water and never took a cruise, etc because of that fear; now, swept up in the surging water, she thinks "OH, MY GOD! I am going to DROWN, and I am ON LAND!" Some hurt, unable to tell anyone who they are. Some hurt not as seriously.
We have wars going on, martyrs dying for their Faith in many countries...and this happens, bringing many of those same countries together to help save those surviving, in many different countries.
We had the WTC, the Pentagon, and the other flight gone in a very short time on 9/11/2001, and were devasted with that many senseless deaths. HERE they found one place, one city from what I have read with 40,000 dead in one act of nature! One, a vicious act of Man...the other called 'an act of God'.....
Haiti and the Dominican Republic in Jeanne this past summer lost many, as did other nations during those Hurricanes. The number was tragically high. People homeless, families lost. But that has now paled in light of this week's catastrophic news from all of the area of the Indian Ocean.
Sirens sound, people run... it is a false alarm, there is no new Tsunami coming after all. But the day that it DID hit, no warning came.
All I can think of is this from Matthew 24, and wonder if I am ready. Are you??
3: As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, "Tell us, when will this be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the close of the age?"
4: And Jesus answered them, "Take heed that no one leads you astray. 5: For many will come in my name, saying, `I am the Christ,' and they will lead many astray.
6: And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars; see that you are not alarmed; for this must take place, but the end is not yet.
7: For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places: 8: all this is but the beginning of the birth-pangs. 9: "Then they will deliver you up to tribulation, and put you to death; and you will be hated by all nations for my name's sake.
16: then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains; 17: let him who is on the housetop not go down to take what is in his house; 18: and let him who is in the field not turn back to take his mantle. 19: And alas for those who are with child and for those who give suck in those days! 20: Pray that your flight may not be in winter or on a sabbath. 21: For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be. 22: And if those days had not been shortened, no human being would be saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened.
27: For as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of man.
32: "From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. 33: So also, when you see all these things, you know that he is near, at the very gates. 34: Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away till all these things take place. 35: Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. 36: "But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.
37: As were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of man. 38: For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, 39: and they did not know until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of man.
42: Watch therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. 43: But know this, that if the householder had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have watched and would not have let his house be broken into. 44: Therefore you also must be ready; for the Son of man is coming at an hour you do not expect.
