grief
last night at Phase2 (high school youth group) a student, Miranda, walked in while Leilani and I were setting up for worship in song. A friend of hers had gotten in a car accident and passed away. 4 or so other guys were in the car. We prayed for her then and there.
after Phase2 we were hanging out in the parking lot and a student was on and off the phone getting updates about the accident. students and leaders gathered around to mourn and comfort and pray.
this morning when i woke up there was a voice message on my phone from a counselor at the high school (who also goes to our church) asking me to come down to the high school to join them in the library where students and counselors were gathered to mourn Ibrahim Kabbani, the high schooler who died in the car accident last night. another teenager is in a coma, the driver of the vehicle might lose his left hand and I heard that another guy broke his legs.
the library was filled with all kinds of students. from freshmen to seniors. from all different cliques. mourning Ibrahim. either they knew him personally or had a friend who knew him. students were crying, hugging each other, comforting each other, passing out flyers with Ibrahim's picture on it. Sharing stories of what they remembered about him. even running to get some kleenex for their friend. one guy was playing his guitar. in the picture on the flyer ibrahim was playing bass. i wonder if they played together. a good majority of the youth pastors from the area were there. we said 'hi' to each other and were glad that we were there to help comfort these students together. but mostly we spent time comforting and listening to the students. finding out how they knew him. listening to memories. or just sitting in silence with them. some were crying. some couldn't cry but didn't know why. one student told me he couldn't cry, i told him that was normal. and he very well might cry in a few days.
grief.
i saw students i hadn't seen in a long time. they were glad to see me. i was glad to see them. and talk to them and pray with them and tell them i was just across the street if they wanted to come talk or hang out.
after most of the students i knew went back to class and i had talked to the rest...i walked away. sobered. pensive. wondering what i could do for them. to help them find comfort and peace in this truly difficult time.
it's almost surreal. yet death is as real as it gets. death may be more real than life here on earth.
please pray for these students as they mourn. please pray they will turn to Christ, our comfort, in these times. pray that they are sobered to the truth of how fragile life is. how life here is not the end. how there is more to this life than partying and having fun. how there is more than what we see. there is something beyond. pray that they would see it and come to Christ through this.
more thoughts are tumbling around in my head. maybe i'll let them tumble onto my blog later...
after Phase2 we were hanging out in the parking lot and a student was on and off the phone getting updates about the accident. students and leaders gathered around to mourn and comfort and pray.
this morning when i woke up there was a voice message on my phone from a counselor at the high school (who also goes to our church) asking me to come down to the high school to join them in the library where students and counselors were gathered to mourn Ibrahim Kabbani, the high schooler who died in the car accident last night. another teenager is in a coma, the driver of the vehicle might lose his left hand and I heard that another guy broke his legs.
the library was filled with all kinds of students. from freshmen to seniors. from all different cliques. mourning Ibrahim. either they knew him personally or had a friend who knew him. students were crying, hugging each other, comforting each other, passing out flyers with Ibrahim's picture on it. Sharing stories of what they remembered about him. even running to get some kleenex for their friend. one guy was playing his guitar. in the picture on the flyer ibrahim was playing bass. i wonder if they played together. a good majority of the youth pastors from the area were there. we said 'hi' to each other and were glad that we were there to help comfort these students together. but mostly we spent time comforting and listening to the students. finding out how they knew him. listening to memories. or just sitting in silence with them. some were crying. some couldn't cry but didn't know why. one student told me he couldn't cry, i told him that was normal. and he very well might cry in a few days.
grief.
i saw students i hadn't seen in a long time. they were glad to see me. i was glad to see them. and talk to them and pray with them and tell them i was just across the street if they wanted to come talk or hang out.
after most of the students i knew went back to class and i had talked to the rest...i walked away. sobered. pensive. wondering what i could do for them. to help them find comfort and peace in this truly difficult time.
it's almost surreal. yet death is as real as it gets. death may be more real than life here on earth.
please pray for these students as they mourn. please pray they will turn to Christ, our comfort, in these times. pray that they are sobered to the truth of how fragile life is. how life here is not the end. how there is more to this life than partying and having fun. how there is more than what we see. there is something beyond. pray that they would see it and come to Christ through this.
more thoughts are tumbling around in my head. maybe i'll let them tumble onto my blog later...
posted by Elias at 14:19
2 Comments:
oh e, what a sad day. how tragic to know that there's no more chances. i'm sorry, e. i will be praying. don't loose sight of this: not one person has ever died one minute early. the Lord is sovereign in all things, at all times. i love you.
Sending our prayers from Germany!
Post a Comment
<< Home