DL--A Global Community and Prayers for America

In the wake of the tragic events of Tuesday, September 11th, I sent a "mass" email message to personnel at theological colleges throughout the UK, Australia, and South Africa with whom I have been in contact about DL degree programs, soliciting their prayers for the USA.

I am delighted to report that, in response to this email, I have received a flood of thoughtful, touching messages. Individuals from institutions throughout England, Scotland, South Africa, and Australia have expressed their support and solidarity with the American people, and have recounted how they have gathered together at their respective colleges to pray for the USA.

DL has often been criticized as impersonal. Today, I have been shown in a powerful way that the contacts established through DL can enable one to be grafted into a global community. DL is about more than just audio cassettes, course outlines, textbooks, and independent research projects. It enables us to expand the horizons of our participation within the larger human family. I wish to honour the exceptional people with whom I have been privileged to interact, and by whom my life has been enriched and blessed today.

 

Thanks for sharing that CL. In addition, sometimes we in the US feel like the whole world is against us. It's heartening to hear that we are in the prayers of others.


Bruce

 

Excellent comment, CL! If DL is approached correctly it can, and does, provide interaction, dialogue and substantive educational opportunities.

I too received e-mail from abroad--a very moving message from the faculty at Greenwich School of Theology (UK), stating that their prayers/thoughts were with the US.

May I add that this is a time to put aside partisonship, and move toward the common good of the people. George W. Bush, and the entire administration, need the prayers and support of all Americans. As do the innocent here at home, and abroad, who have and will suffer, as a result of this cowardly act.

Russell

 

Ditto. I received very moving thoughts from both the University of Zululand & the South Africa Theological Seminary. It is touching that people half a world away are concerned and reaching out to express sympathy for the tragedy here in the United States.

The president of South Africa made very sensitive remarks regarding the incidents here in the United States.
http://www.gov.za

I echo your call for prayers Russell.

North

 

When we sold our school marketing business (the Heriot-Watt MBA by distance learning) to Pearson, they moved the business from California to their Financial Times and New York Institute of Finance offices on the 17th floor of the World Trade Center. I heard from one of their managers last night, who was on trip to the midwest, but she had been unable to learn anything about the fate of her colleagues.

The most sensible and helpful thing I've read yet on the events of yesterday is Jon Carroll's column in today's SF Chronicle. Go to http://www.sfgate.com/columnists/carroll/
and select the column for 9/12/01.

 

I had a similar experience and felt that their sentiments were completely genuine.

 

John--
My husband works for NCS, acquired by Pearson last summer. He heard today that all of Pearson FT employees got out of the World Trade Center safely.

------------------
Kristin Evenson Hirst
DistanceLearn.About.com

 

I am very happy to hear this news by Kristen. One FT contact whom I have had some good conversations with is Bonnie Civico. I was certainly concerned that she may be a causuality, but held a glimmer of hope that those folks may have had time to get out. Good news! Thanks,
Earon

 

University of Western Sydney also sent out a hearftfelt message to all of its American students in the astronomy program.

If flights resume I am to be flying into Washington's National Airport on Monday. It is going to be very strange (can't come up with a better word) to see that hole at the Pentagon.

John

 

Hello Bruce,

Aa with prayers, you're certainly not alone as messages from around the globe already prove.

Living in the USA, as I presume you are, where the country is so large, I guess it's hard to remember there's a big world out there as well. And a world that's been suffering first hand from terrorist acts for years.

In the meantime, I'm sure it helps to remind us that the freedoms we enjoy, and so often take for granted, were earned hard and long by earlier generations suffering and dying in conflicts and blitzes that we have been so fortunate to have largely avoided so far.

60 years ago daily attacks produced the Blitz and bombing of many other British cities, plus the later use of V1 Doodlebug / Buzzbomb and V2 rockets for random civilian attacks on London.

Not in my personal memory of course, being a child of 1945, but I do remember the still-existing bomb sites of Liverpool thanks to it being a major port, while I was growing up there as a young boy. The scale of such attacks led to city children being evacuated to live with strangers in the countryside (evacuees).

One hopes for lessons from a horrific incident like this - albeit hard ones and those of the stable door variety.

As for progress, it takes two to tango, and logic, reason and fair-minded thinking don't always get a chance.

My sympathies to all - which will cover nationals of many countries as well as the USA when the details emerge.

Regards and condolences,

Neil Hynd

 

Yes, most recent estimates indicate that about 46 nations will prove to have sustained losses as a result of this incident. This includes approximately 200 British citizens and a considerable number of Japanese. Truly, this is a tragedy of international proportions; certainly the international community will never be the same as a result of our having shared in this moment together.

 

Greetings fellow followers of this board...

Being a soldier in the US Army is tough these days. Everywhere the buzz is the threat of imminent deployment and possible world war. Please keep our servicemen and their families in your prayers.

Sincerely,
Steven King
US Army

 

Dear Neil,

This tragedy here in the USA made me remember the tragedies we suffered in Latin America for many years. There, many members of my family were killed, including my own father. I still remember, as a young child, being below my bed with my mother while our neighbourhood was being bombarded and while my father was out there looking for any food supply and thus risking his life.

As you can see, I can definitely identify first hand with the victims of this terrible attack. Now, as an American by choice I am, I feel that my heart is being wounded for the second time.

Sorry...my eyes are watery.

God bless you all!

Yours faithfully,


Karlos Alberto Lacaye
[email protected]