| Author |
Message |
Sabra
Registered user
Username: Sabra
Post Number: 341
Registered: 10-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 26, 2005 - 6:07 am: |     |
In case you haven't heard, the SAU girl's dorm caught on fire this morning around 4 am. There is one fatality of an 18 year old girl and others injured. They think it started in the kitchenette.
The spokesperson said something about them being under unusual hardship with the recent plane crash.
Please pray for God to work it out for good and His glory and for the family. |
Lisa_boyldavis
Registered user
Username: Lisa_boyldavis
Post Number: 60
Registered: 3-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 26, 2005 - 8:12 am: | |
The recent plane crash was a senseless crash. Our cousin was the one survivor . The plane was not properly maintained.... short cuts.... some people's sole purpose in life is to serve as a warning to others.... Horribly sad, terribly senseless. I pray that this fire wasn't more of the same. I've noticed a patter of those under the law thinking they are "above the law".... that is, they think they don't have to play by the same rules as the rest of us because they are special. With aircraft and fires that doesn't work.
LBD
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Leigh
Registered user
Username: Leigh
Post Number: 105
Registered: 2-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 26, 2005 - 8:32 am: | |
Thanks for the info, Sabra.
Here is an article about the fire.
http://www.chattanoogan.com/articles/article_65999.asp
I lived in that dorm for 4 years. My prayers go out to the family.
Leigh |
Sabra
Registered user
Username: Sabra
Post Number: 343
Registered: 10-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 26, 2005 - 8:53 am: | |
Actually, they said the dorm was not up to standard, no sprinklers, though it was old, so I guess it didn't have to be updated by law. |
Lisa_boyldavis
Registered user
Username: Lisa_boyldavis
Post Number: 62
Registered: 3-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 26, 2005 - 9:03 am: | |
After reading my posting, I realized I sound incredibly unfeeling. I am really horribly sad for the loss of that poor girl. What I am trying to say is that it's UNACCEPTABLE to take shortcuts with peoples lives by LAZINESS AND SAVING A BUCK. Right now I am stopping for a time of prayer for that family. May God sustain them.
LBD
|
Bob
Registered user
Username: Bob
Post Number: 220
Registered: 7-2000
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 26, 2005 - 9:08 am: | |
When I was a senior in college, my best friend and I flew in a small four-seater plane with two of the Andrews U. religion teachers (our pilot was the dept. chairman) to Adelphian Academy one weekend in the winter, to promote A.U. at the academy.
On our return departure, our brilliant pilot tried to take off in a blinding snowstorm, and we crashed. Fortunately we were not injured. I have never gotten over how irresponsible he was in doing that. (Or how young and stupid I was to get on the plane with him!) |
Melissa
Registered user
Username: Melissa
Post Number: 854
Registered: 7-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 26, 2005 - 9:29 am: | |
Ignorance and "cost-cutting" is not limited to any single man-made institution. All are at risk. Recently here in KS, the SDA k-12 school bus had a crash with 30 kids on it. It actually turned over on the turnpike (no fatalities) and upon investigation found that it had not been properly maintained and the bus driver knew it tended to "pull". I thought that was careless to put kids lives in danger like that, but all the parents interviewed stood in full support of the school and was sure if there were corrections to be made, they would be. I had to check my own thinking about that situation because my natural tendencies are to see the "wrong" done by the SDA organization without realizing the simple role of human nature in it. I suspect we might all be surprised by the "hazardous" situations we encounter routinely without knowing it. Nothing wrong with being aggitated that people cut corners in the area of safety...SDA or otherwise.
I personally need to be reminded that the organization I find at the source of such irritation for me is filled with human individuals that God loves and died for as well. I learn a lot from the empathy you all have for the individuals involved in situations such as this, as I tend to only see the "religion" as a whole. I learn a lot from your heart-felt passion at the senselessness ... and I think your remarks are a testimony to the lurkers who only want to find hate and SDA-bashing here. There truly is a difference in the organization of adventism and the people therein. Those of you who came from its ranks recognize that in a way I cannot. Just as adventists lump "formers" or "sundaykeepers" in a bucket, without seeing us as individuals. God continually teaches me in these situations that he sees individuals, not labels.
This is a personal tragedy for the specific family, as is the loss of those two toddlers who wandered off in Georgia, and the family that will get the call that their soldier has been killed. I need to keep my heart sensitive to the world in pain around me to remind me what hope I have to share. Sometimes you have to be reminded to look up to get through. It's all about Him and his grace and his glory.
I hope that doesn't sound too simplistic and trite. |
Colleentinker
Registered user
Username: Colleentinker
Post Number: 1838
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 26, 2005 - 10:26 am: | |
Not at all simplistic or trite, Melissa. I have the same personal issue with remembering the individuals. I have to keep remembering that bad things happen because we live in a sinful world. None of us, whether Christ-followers or not, is exempt from being touched by brokenness and sensless suffering.
Ultimately, all tragedy is allowed by God and serves His purposes in the big picture. As an Adventist I learned that bad things are from Satan, and God allows Satan to inflict them out of respect for his freedom of choice--but God can bring good out of them.
I no longer see things that way. Yes, Satan is involved in evil and suffering--but God allows things not because he has to allow Satan freedom but because ultimately He will be glorified. For example, the great lesson in Job is not that God allowed Satan to persecute Job in order to prove something to Satan, but that out of Job's suffering, he, the "righteous" man, had to acknowlege God's sovereignty and repent before Him (see Job 42:5-6).
Without ever knowing why he had suffered, Job worshiped God because He was God.
I pray for the family of the victim, and I pray that God will glorify Himself through the lives of everyone who was affected by the fire.
As you said, Melissa, "It's all about Him and His grace and His glory."
Colleen |
Cforrester
Registered user
Username: Cforrester
Post Number: 1
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 26, 2005 - 9:17 pm: | |
The fire is certainly a tragedy. It is one that can happen anywhere at any time. Libby and I are graduates of Southern, and for a time she lived in that dorm. Looking at the pictures it seems like just yesterday that we were there and I can imagine how unsettling this is for the whole community and for the students. My heart goes out to Kelly's family and friends.
Personally I am quite impressed with how Southern has handled this. They have updated information on their website all through the day and Gordon Bietz is a very strong and calm person.
As for the sprinklers and "being up to code" - the building was old, but were it not compliant with code it would have been condemned. Southern was always very diligent about fire drills in the middle of the night (often too good. yawn). To quote the fire marshal: "A sprinkler system would not have avoided the loss of life in this situation," he said. "Sprinklers activate after smoke alarms and only when the temperature has reached well over 200 degrees."
It pains me to see people pass judgment in a case like this. "Judge not..." The state fire marshal has indicated that this was an accident, and praised Southern's and the fire department's response. He said that everything worked as it should. At the risk of also sounding vitriolic, of no use is the remote arm-chair analysis and blanket judgments. This is a tragedy and a terrible loss of life. Heaven cries with the family, and we have a "where's God" moment. But God does work all for good and He does love us deeply. He loved Kelly deeply, and even though He is sovereign, allowed this to happen. I rejoice knowing that someday we will meet Kelly when this world has passed away and all things are made new.
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Colleentinker
Registered user
Username: Colleentinker
Post Number: 1849
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 26, 2005 - 9:25 pm: | |
Cforrester--welcome to the forum! I'm really glad you're here!
We look forward to getting to know you better.
Colleen |
Flyinglady
Registered user
Username: Flyinglady
Post Number: 1420
Registered: 3-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 26, 2005 - 9:28 pm: | |
Cforrester,
Welcome to FAF. Please make yourself at home and join in the discussions and when you are ready, tell us more about your trip out of adventism.
Diana |
Flyinglady
Registered user
Username: Flyinglady
Post Number: 1421
Registered: 3-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 26, 2005 - 9:40 pm: | |
I am so sorry to hear about the fire at the college. We live in a world where bad things happen to good people as well as bad. It is the world we live in until Jesus comes to take us home.
Lisa, I have to agree with you about proper maintenance of airplanes. My son has been in the Civil Air Patrol since he was 14. As he got older he led groups to find plane crashes. I remember one plane crash in VA. The pilot crashed about 1 mile from the runway because he did not fill up on av fuel before he left PA to come home. My son told me there was no smell of fuel at the crash and when it was investigated it was found that the pilot did not top off the tank. The crash killed the pilot, his fiancee and her dog. The pilot is the one in command of the airplane and when the plane is not properly maintained it should be his fault. So many small plane crashes are senseless and if the pilot is properly trained he should not be making dumb decisions, like taking off in a snow storm or something else like that. I love to fly planes and I am horrified when I read of stupid mistakes made by the pilot in command. That could be a soap box of mine.
Diana |
Carol_2
Registered user
Username: Carol_2
Post Number: 306
Registered: 2-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 27, 2005 - 8:00 am: | |
Hi Cforrester! Finally, somebody I know on this forum! You may not know who I am, but Libby does......tell her to look at my picture and see if she remembers!
I also was impressed by how everything was handled at Southern. I was reading the Chattanooga newspaper accounts last night, and Southern was highly praised - everything seemed to be in order, smoke detectors were recently checked, fire drills are very regular, everything up to code. Apparently fire walls contained the fire very well. In fact, I think it was the fire marshall that commented he didn't know why Kelly was heading toward the fire, while others headed away.
Such a tragedy. Beautiful girl too, it's very sad.
Love you all! Carol
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Esther
Registered user
Username: Esther
Post Number: 223
Registered: 5-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 27, 2005 - 8:15 am: | |
I know many people who know Kelly personally, and she worked at my home state youth camp. She was a wonderful person and this is so heartbreaking! Her roommate was with her when she turned back to get something from her room, and it was the smoke that killed her.
Praise God that she knew Jesus, and she is safe with Him! |
Helovesme2
Registered user
Username: Helovesme2
Post Number: 178
Registered: 8-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 27, 2005 - 8:23 am: | |
Thanks for sharing that Esther!
When I first heard about the fire I thought about how easily that could have been my own sister, who was on the third floor at Thatcher Hall not that long ago.
And going back to get something sounds just like what I probably would have done - a sobering thought!
I'm praying for her family and for the people who knew Kelly at the school and elsewhere.
Thank you for letting us know she knew Jesus! That is a comfort.
Mary |
Esther
Registered user
Username: Esther
Post Number: 224
Registered: 5-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 27, 2005 - 9:24 am: | |
If anyone is interested in knowing a little more about her, you can visit http://www.southern.edu. From there you can visit links to her bio, and to a forum that's been set up to help people remember her. Many of the comments there are from the people who her life touched everyday, even just in passing. She definately made a big impact on that campus. She and Jon had dedicated their lives to serving God. She will be very missed! The only consolation is that God knew the number of her days, and so, this too is for His plan. |
Leigh
Registered user
Username: Leigh
Post Number: 106
Registered: 2-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 27, 2005 - 9:34 am: | |
Carol, did you go to southern?
AFter Cforrester mentinoned it, I went to southern's website and read more about the fire. I hadn't been to the site in a long time. It brought tears and memories. I went to the alumni directory and was shocked to see a picture of me with some of my classmates. We were about 20 at the time, the same age as Kelly. While I was a student there, a popular young man was killed in an accident. I remember the sadness that hung over the campus and wondering "where was God?"
Many of us were Amy Grant fans and one of the songs I remember hearing after the accident was "Angels Watching over Me." I thought "where were the angels watching over him?" I am praying for Kelly's family and also for the students who maybe asking the same questions we asked and that God would draw them close to Him. |
Carol_2
Registered user
Username: Carol_2
Post Number: 308
Registered: 2-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 27, 2005 - 9:50 am: | |
No Leigh...I didn't go to Southern, but live in the Atlanta area, and worked for a large SDA church for quite a few years....so frequent contact with Southern. Most of the SDA kids around here do go to Southern.
Was the young man killed at Southern killed hiking or rock climbing or something? Seems like I remember something like that a few years back....you must be YOUNG! |
Leigh
Registered user
Username: Leigh
Post Number: 107
Registered: 2-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 27, 2005 - 10:28 am: | |
Carol, the young man died in a skateboarding accident about 20 years ago. I'll be 41 soon.
Leigh |
Michael
Registered user
Username: Michael
Post Number: 8
Registered: 1-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 27, 2005 - 2:53 pm: | |
Thanks for passing along the information on the fire. Both my wife and I attended Southern (her 88-90 and me 85-91). It a tragedy to hear about the young loss of life. I had a friend who was tasked with updating all the safety systems throughout the whole college a few years back. Thatcher Hall was the first building on his project. It may not have had sprinklers, which is a VERY expensive retro-fit, but I know the other systems were supposed to be up-to-date as of less than 10 years ago.
Mike |
Dennis
Registered user
Username: Dennis
Post Number: 375
Registered: 4-2000
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 27, 2005 - 9:24 pm: | |
I stayed in a guest room at Thatcher Hall when it was first completed in the late 1960s. Sylvia, my fiancee (now my wife), always made ample provisions for my occasional campus visits on weekends. Those were the days when Smuts Van Rooyan was the college chaplain or campus youth leader.
Several years later, I recruited students for summer literature evangelism there every year. After a busy day of recruiting and meetings, four of us publishing leaders headed for a steak house in Chattanooga (even though we had complimentary guest cards for the college cafeteria). I was a vegetarian at that time so I didn't particularly enjoy going there to eat. However, two of my colleagues ordered steaks. When the server brought their steak platter it was neatly encircled with bacon. So, they immediately told the server, "We are Seventh-day Adventist ministers and we don't eat pork."
Of course, as SDA ministers, they were not supposed to eat any meat at all. Graciously, the server took their plates back to the kitchen for a hurried unwrapping of the bacon. She quickly returned with just the original steak and they loved every bite without any further comments (smile). I well remember being very embarrassed about the bacon episode.
Dennis J. Fischer |
