Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Prayers for Christchurch Appreciated

Your prayers for the people of Christchurch are appreciated - special thanks to those who commented that they are praying via comments on other posts below. I and my family are safe, with house habitable with power, but, like most of Christchurch, without water. Many photos accessible via Stuff and other news services.

I include one below, of our Anglican cathedral, which is in the centre of our city, a treasured icon for believers and non-believers.

Many more churches have been affected (some mercifully propelling them from insurers' belief they could be repaired at huge expense after the 4 September 2010 quake damaged them), including churches that will never appear in the news reports because neither historic nor iconic.

Many families are in grief, many more will be simply traumatised, and some reports are emerging of a new set of homeless people in our city.

10 comments:

Janice said...

I'm very glad to know that you're safe.

Lynne said...

You guys are very much in our prayers. We were holidaying in Christchurch and Akaroa less than 2 weeks ago, including going to evensong in the cathedral, so we can only begin to imagine how distressing this must be for those who are there.
Sometimes there aren't any words, but we can stand with you in your grief, and pray that the God of all comfortholds you very close

Suem said...

Glad you are safe. Have been praying at odd moments throughout the day.

Brother David said...

Any news, I saw video that the Dean thought that folks were in the tower when it collapsed?

Any news of Father Bosco? His website and blog are locally hosted in Christchurch and is all offline at present.

SHolding you lot in prayer.

Brother David said...

Update - I have heard from a round about way that Bosco and family are safe, according to Grandmere Mimi at Wounded Bird;

From Facebook:
Bosco, Helen & Jonathan are safe. (Txt from Bosco this morning :))
The message is from Na Eun Kim.

Pageantmaster said...

Prayers for New Zealand, for Christchurch and for you.

Psalm 93

God bless

PM

Pageantmaster said...

Actually I think I meant Psalm 91

PM

Father Ron Smith said...

Thank you, Peter, for supplying this article on your site. If I may, I would like to add my own personal thanks for my famly's deliverance from anything worse thatn a little damage to our house and contents. Diana and I were at lunch on Tusday the day of the quake, after attending midday Mass at St. Michael's in the City. The sudden force of the new quaske was much more than we had experienced on the night in September 2010, when no lives were lost directly as a result. This time, the latest is 75 dead and up to 300 missing.

Prayers are coveted for all of our Christchurch people (and visitors caught up in this tragedy) whose lives and property have suffered as a consequence of this quake which was more devastating for the central city becuase of its proximity - within 10kms and only 5kms deep.

WE have survived! Deo Gratias! And I am able to hobble around on my new bionic hip.

Fr. Bryan Owen said...

I continue to pray for you all in the midst of this devastation, and I'm glad that you and your family are safe.

Samarpan Thorat said...

Yes, we are praying.