Assignment: Somebody Told Me
In Rick Braggs “Tried by Deadly Tornado, An Anchor of Faith Holds” (pages 4-8) from the section titled “Survivors.” In his book “Somebody Told Me”, Mr. Bragg tells the story of how tragedy struck a small town called Piedmont Alabama April 2nd 1994:
This story shows the strength and faith, not only of the Clem family, but of so many others who lost their loved ones; this is about “faith that has been shaken but not lost.” All of this takes place one morning, the usual hustle of getting children dressed in their Sunday best; it was a little different than a usual Sunday; just so happened to be Palm Sunday. Imagine yourself sitting in a church pew, children giggling and fighting while surrounded by 140 members of your church family and friends; And in the blink of an eye the place where you to be fed spiritually and receive blessings, “your safe harbor some call it”, becomes a place of pain and anguish.
After the tornado tore through Goshen Methodist Church, ripping walls from their support structure and destroying anything in its way; it changed the lives of everyone, including their Minister Kelly, and her husband Dale Clem, whose life was changed forever by the loss of their four year old daughter Hannah.
Mr. Clem states “It was wind, not God that killed our daughter; it isn’t his will for anyone to die.”
This story is a reminder of what could have very easily happened in my own life, Saturday evening, April 24, 2010; The tornado that went through Albertville and Geraldine Alabama destroying anything and everything in it’s path’ as if it were heartless and Cold. My story in Albertville could have easily turned out to be as Piedmont, Alabama’s reality. In the blink of an eye it could have been my family being ripped from my life and forcing me to attempt to move on without them. And my faith could have easily been shaken but hopefully not lost forever.