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Here’s a sampling of the responses we received about the events of September 11 in New York City and Washington, D.C. These comments have been edited for space and clarity. –Editors

found myself falling prey to unbidden thoughts. Only two weeks before, a friend and I had dinner at the Windows on the World restaurant at the top of the World Trade Center. I couldn’t help pondering the outcome had our timing been different. For four hours I moved through terror-stricken crowds making their way through traffic-clogged streets. Buses were filled like sardine cans, crawling but a few feet every few minutes through the city’s main arteries. Time and again I conversed with frightened people, speaking to them of God and His secret dwelling place (Psalm 91:1) as our only safety.

Yet another issue of timing leaves me awestruck. In just a few weeks we will begin a major evangelistic effort here in the heart of Manhattan, only a few blocks from where the twin towers of the World Trade Center once stood. Soon we will saturate this community with flyers and posters, hoping and praying to arrest the public’s attention.

Pray that the men and women of this great city, despite the smoldering ruins and staggering loss, can be led to claim the divine assurance: “The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe” (Prov. 18:10, NIV).

Kevin Paulson
Manhattan, New York

I am a volunteer firefighter with the Mechanicstown Fire Department, located near Middletown, New York. I was part of a group that went to “ground zero” on Saturday night (9/15/01) until Sunday A.M.

We were assigned tools to start digging around the twisted steel and debris. Next, we were placed on the “bucket brigade.” Buckets were filled with the debris and placed on a pile many feet away. During our time there, one body was recovered. Dogs were brought in to sniff out other remains.

The work is very intense. The sites of the two towers are a pile of steel beams and cement pieces 60-70 feet high and still smouldering and flaming in certain spots.

Along several side streets are the burned-out hulks of fire trucks, rescue trucks, ambulances, police cars, Con-Ed trucks, and other vehicles that were in the path of destruction. Stress, fatigue, tiredness, all seemed to be the order of the night--and the day as well. Confusion did not seem to be present. Everyone knew what had to be done.

Richard Mills,
Mechanicstown, New York

I had just come back from a 10-day nearly perfect vacation that Monday evening. I had spoken with a cousin who was worried and couldn’t sleep well. I find it helpful to have cards with my favorite Bible verses (from each book of the Bible). I read a verse before I go to sleep and keep it in my mind. When I awake I read a new one for the day. My cards started with Isaiah 51:11-13, 15. I didn’t think anything about it-- until I got a phone call that morning at 6:30 to turn on the TV and watch with all America the horror in New York City. As I looked at the Bible cards that evening, I realized that I could not have read a more reassuring verse. God is still in control, and He is here to comfort us.

Edna Mae Gallington
Riverside, California

I am a computer teacher, and September 12 was my hardest day of teaching ever. It got especially bad when a 9 year-old boy was playing SimCity and a plane hit a building (one of the disasters built into the game). After I stopped crying I uninstalled all copies of SimCity from our school’s computers.

Daniel Marsh
via e-mail

It is Terrorist Tuesday. All morning I have been watching and listening to the description of the destruction of the World Trade Center and part of the Pentagon. As the scenes of destruction flicker across the television screen, I think longingly, “Jack Ryan could solve our problems” (Jack Ryan is the hero in Tom Clancy’s novels, who finds and destroys terrorists).

My very human reaction is vengeance. “Don’t come in my country and hurt my people. Play your dirty games of death and destruction in Palestine, in Bosnia and Croatia, in Rwanda and the Sudan, but stay away from me and mine,” I think.

Yet another thought intrudes into my visions of death and destruction: What does Jesus think? What would He do? This is a defining moment for a new generation, How would Jesus react?

Somebody told me once that the difference between a wise person and a fool are the choices they make. This one is a no-brainer. I choose Jesus.

Clarence Small
Moline, Illinois

Today we went to our local church, North Hills in Claremont, California, for a prayer time at noon. My tears flowed, not tears of sorrow, but tears that this can happen again. My tears fell for the times ahead, that, according to God’s word in Revelation, we are in the midst of. I wept for the innocent lives and the families of so many lives lost to a violence that we often think only happens in the movies or someplace else.

As a Christian I am so aware that Jesus is returning soon, and I must rejoice and prepare even more as I share with those who are not in the ark of safety his unyielding love for them and this country.

God’s peace to all who read and prepare for Jesus Christ who is soon to come.

Sondra M Brewer
Claremont, California

May God have mercy on all of us. May we not forget to pray for our enemies, because they cannot pray for themselves; they do not know Jesus. I know that we are praying for the victims, but please pray for the ones who are being controlled by Satan and his angels. God says that His Word will not come back to Him void (Isaiah 55:10, 11).

Edith Knight
Washington, D.C.

The shock felt by almost everyone around the world cannot be fully described. The only comfort we have as Christians who are waiting for the end of all these sufferings is in the word of Jesus, who says, “When you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door” (Matt. 24:33, NIV).

As do others, I believe that carnage and disasters are going to increase in greater magnitude and rapid succession before the Prince of Peace comes to usher us into His kingdom of perfect peace and happiness.

God bless us all with renewed dedication to witness for Him as much as we can while we still have time.

Sammy Lee
Queensland, Australia

In the days after the attack on the World Trade Center I kept vigil with all of America and cried with the families looking for lost loved ones. I cried with those who had learned their loved one had died. I was disappointed in the service at my local Adventist church. There was no moment of silence in remembrance, no prayer vigils were on the agenda, and no special offering taken up for the disaster. Instead we were told to be afraid of unity.

After reading the articles posted on your web site and listening to our General Conference president’s remarks, my hope in the Adventist Church was restored. I especially appreciated him telling us not to try to foretell the future by these events. Our task at hand now lies in being our brother’s keeper, in honoring our country’s president, and taking this opportunity to witness to others of God’s saving grace. Thank you for having this web site.

Carol Brokaw
Florida

This event reminded me of the need of committing our lives to Jesus all times. It also added to my hatred of sin and its author (Satan).

I’m just encouraged in one thing: that soon and very soon our Lord will come back and put an end to all these terrors and we shall remember them no more.

Mkama Nangu
Tanzania

As a native New Yorker now living elsewhere, the events of the past few days have touched my very core. With the national memorial service on Friday, closure began. I believe the most dreaded result of terrorism is not that our physical persons should be destroyed, but that we should be either so fearful that we become cowards or so angry that we become like those who have harmed us so deeply.

As Jesus said, we should not fear those who are able to kill the body and then can do nothing more. Let us hope and pray for good, but remember in the day of adversity that God allows both. He holds our future in His hands, and He can give us courage in the face of even the ultimate sacrifice, when made for Him, and for the highest ideals, such as religious and personal freedom.

Laura Pinyan
via e-mail

My first thought was about my brother-in-law, who works for the Port Authority at the World Trade Center (WTC). I called my sister, Gina. She told me that she had not heard from Ken but that she believed he was all right. This was around 8:45 a.m.

I called Gina again about 11:00. She was in tears. She had received word that all the senior staff had been accounted for except Ken. “I was all right until they called,” she said. “Why did they have to tell me that?” She wept, and I tried to console her. We hung up so her line would be free in case he was trying to get in touch with her.

About 2:30 p.m. the phone rang again. I picked it up not knowing what to expect. Gina told me that Ken had called and said he was all right. All I could say was, “Praise the Lord.” I felt a wave of relief flood over me and said a prayer of thanksgiving for God’s goodness. Yet I was burdened for all the other families whose loved ones were still missing and would probably not be found. Would God do the same for them as He had done for us?

Ken was on the sixty-fifth floor in the tower where he works when it was struck by the jetliner. He, along with others, had to walk down 65 floors and exit the building before it collapsed. He spent the rest of the day assisting others. By the time he arrived home on Wednesday, he had been awake for more than 36 hours and was physically and emotionally drained. As with all those who survived this tragedy, he will never be the same.

God doesn’t always answer our prayers the way we want, but this time He did. Why me and not other, I don’t know. Yet I am thankful for this token of His grace. I have learned, after tragically losing three of my sons, not to ask why but what. What is it God would have me learn from this situation?

The answer? Life is tenuous at best. Tomorrows have no guarantees. He wants us to stay close to Him so no matter what happens, we can have the assurance that our life is hid in Him. Tragedies can come at any time and in any form. What matters is our relationship with God. As long as we keep our hand in His, we can safely abide and come out secure on the other side.

Terrance Mason
Huntsville, Alabama

Here’s a poem I wrote in memory of those who died. I hope it will inspire.

September 11, 2001

Everyday people
Doing our best living everyday lives.
How could we have known?
We dwelt in innocence;
Unknown faces
Standing back within the shadows,
Dreaming our dreams
In towers of steel and glass;
Nearly invincible
Behind houses of brick and stone.
European? Asian? Australian? American?
No! We are Humanity!
We are the World!
Whoever could have known?
One moment of terror
Blowing it all away.
Crumbling our bodies
Beneath mountains of our own design.
Our spirits now rise up,
A Phoenix from the ashes,
Screaming out a cry of justice
Through the mouths of those
We had to leave behind:
Aunts, Uncles, Brothers, Sisters,
Mothers, Fathers,
Children, Husbands, Wives.
Each of us a seed,
Planted in the Garden of Liberty--
A flower,
For the betterment of mankind!

Michelle L. Maxson
via e-mail

I felt too shocked to pray, but a small voice said to, anyway. The Lord gave me peace that He is still in control.

The night before we had a board meeting at our church. As we left to go home I didn’t feel very easy about something and started to pray. The song “Many things about tomorrow I don’t seem to understand” came to my mind. The song’s promise is that God hold the future and we are to put our hands in His.

We don’t know what will come of these events, but Psalm 37 is comforting, as well as Psalm 91. God said to the Israelites as they faced the Red Sea, “Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord” (Exod. 14:13). That’s what I intend to do, through God’s power.

Stuart Dixon
Lenox, Massachusetts