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Words of Comfort For The Mining Community
First of all there is no way to fully comprehend the pain of the families who lost their husbands, fathers, sons and uncles to the industrial mining accident in Tallmansville West Virginia. The men who lost their lives were the main providers for their wives and families they are missed in ways that an observer and a by stander will never fully understand.
Words of love and encouragement cannot restore the life of a loved one but let it be known that the prayers, and the good will of the American family goes out to the families and loved ones during this period of bereavement. All affected families are to be encouraged knowing that the human spirit will triumph like it has many times before. For it was the united prayers of countless people who were a source of strength and support during Katrina and 9ll and the prayers of the same concerned citizens will be a source of love and comfort during a time when many struggle to make sense of the loss of their family members.
The unexpected loss of life has a way of reminding us that life is fragile for when life is viewed within the sphere of eternity it is a few fleeing seconds. There is no way that I can fully identity with the pain of the affected families for only those within the immediate families know the full extent of the loss of a father, a brother or an uncle.
Although I cannot fully identity with the pain of the families in Tallmansville, West Virginia I was affected by the loss because I was reminded of the love shown to me in a small Kentucky mining town during the 1970's when I was a member of a college student group that performed at various churches.
The early seventies was a period when America was searching for answers to the questions of race and class. The nation was trying to make sense of the assassination of Dr. King and Robert Kennedy. There was a lot of distrust within the hearts of many men and women who did not share a common racial heritage. But a family in a small mining town in Kentucky took me into their home and let me sit at their table during a time when a person of color had never visited their community or church. It is for this reason that I am grateful for the kindness shown to me during the early years of my life in a small Kentucky mining town.
In a sense the family that hosted me in that small town fulfilled the most basic Christian mandate for in the words of the Savior "when I was thirsty they gave me water and when I was hungry they gave me food and when I was a stranger they took me in. This is why my heart goes out to the families who lost their loved ones in Tallmansville, West Virginia.
The words of encouragement in this article are a small consolation for the kindness shown to me during one of the most trying periods in American history but it is hoped that these shared expressions will strengthen the support system that is already in place for the precious families in Tallmansville West Virginia.
So to the Bennetts' the Wares' the Groves'. the Helms' the Weavers' the Winans' the Lewis's and to Randal McCloy the sole survivor and to all of the additional family members be encouraged for the prayers of America will see you through these trying times and remember that there is a rainbow beyond the clouds. A rainbow of love and peace that that is a source of light in a sea of darkness and despair.
Peace And Love To My Brothers and Sisters,
The Reverend Micheal J. Darby