I remember Black Saturday. Hot. 46 centigrade. For those of you of the Fahrenheit gauge. Over 113f.
The hot northerly wind blew hard. It blew like a hairdryer set on hot in your face. I could see a 30 metre high tree out of the rear window of my house being tossed around like a puppet dancing on the strong hot northerly wind.
We had no air conditioning. It was stinking hot. Yet somehow even with three kids, a three month old baby , two year old and six year old, we managed to get through the day.
Many people didn't. Many fathers. Many sons. Many daughters. Many mums. There was no discrimination of age, sex, or race. The Marysville township. Burnt to the ground. The Kinglake township. Burnt to the ground. Many more townships. Burnt into dust. 173 people lost their lives that day. Over 414 people were injured. 3,500 structures were destroyed and 7,500 were made homeless.
All this happened one year ago, today. This was Australia's worst natural disaster. Ever.
No words that I can express or write can tell the story of that day.
You can get a get an idea of what happened here.
Today as a church. Crossway will remember the 173 who lost their lives. The 500 plus who were injured. We'll get to hear of one woman's story of how she helped those affected. We'll get to know of the brilliant response of so many who sit silently in our auditorium week, after week.
Rest in peace all you daughters, sons, mother, fathers.
