“Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows”—Isaiah 53:4 (NKJV).
Thirteen-year-old Emilia survived the Manchester terrorist bomb attack. Two days later, she came with her parents to lay a bouquet at the memorial in St. Ann’s Square. Watching nearby was a volunteer from a local church in Manchester who was at the square working with the Billy Graham Rapid Response Team.
The volunteer sensed that Emilia was deeply traumatized. She gently guided the young teen and her parents to a quiet bench, where a crisis-trained chaplain joined them. The mother, tear-stained, pulled Emilia close while Emilia’s father, Ramos, began to tell their story.
On Monday night, Emilia had been at the concert in the Manchester Arena accompanied by her young adult brother. The two were walking toward the exit and were seconds from the door when the bomb went off in the foyer. Emilia became hysterical and stayed that way for the rest of the night. Her brother somehow found a way for them through the carnage to safety and called their parents, who by then had heard the news and were beside themselves.
Ramos, sharing the memory with the Billy Graham Rapid Response Team, paused in his account. The chaplain put an arm around his shoulder.
“I know that God protected us,” said the father. “But I feel deeply for the other parents. It’s like I’ve lost my own children. I’ve tried to stay strong …” Then he collapsed into tears.
After a moment, the church volunteer stood, pulled the family into a huddle, and spoke a powerful prayer of protection over them, asking God to help them emerge from the horror. Then the chaplain softly laid a hand on Emilia’s head and asked Jesus for a deep healing of the trauma.
“I feel a relief now,” said Ramos. Emilia’s face lightened into a smile.
Names have been changed to protect privacy.
Have you ever wanted to reach out to a friend or neighbor who is in crisis, but you weren’t sure what to say or what not to say? You can be personally equipped to share the comfort and hope of Jesus in appropriate ways with anyone in crisis, even in your own family, church, or community. Learn how you can bring the love and hope of Jesus Christ to people enduring tragedy.
