Hold fast

photo by Greg Lincoln

by Greg Lincoln

Any kind of loss can be hard to bear, and to hear of loss no matter how far away you are can affect you in one way or another.

When a person that we know and love departs from this current earth, the path of time and events that we are traveling on shifts with sudden intensity, like an earthquake. And then we find ourselves journeying on a completely different route.

The route that we had once been traveling on ends abruptly.

Think about a rope that is made up of many cords. It is like untwining ourselves from a many ply-ed cord. A cord that had once had many strands interwoven together with a strong bond. When a cord is unraveled, it’s a complete chaotic mess that can sometimes become tangled.

But cords can be retwined and made strong again.

Too much shifting can leave a person on unstable footing. That is why we need to plant our feet on things we trust in. What are those things?

Our faith is one. And family.

And to those things we should hold fast. Our hearts go out to our relatives in Kipnuk and to the family of the pilot. You are in our thoughts and prayers. We hope that you find comfort in your strong faith and in the family that has surrounded you on all sides.

We have learned that folks have a resiliency beyond understanding. It is this resiliency that we call upon to help us get through this tragedy, and any other calamity that we may encounter in the days ahead.

And our hearts also go out to the families of the boys that were missing and then found in Nunam Iqua. We are relieved and thankful that you have been reunited. Quyana to the searchers and volunteers who helped in this effort and to our Creator for their safe return.