A Glass of Water

As the sunset on that typical Sunday afternoon, everyone got ready for the week ahead; never expecting what would happen next… In just a few short hours the silent night sky was interrupted with the booming noise that came two blocks away from our house along with screams that got louder and louder by the second. The beautiful night sky covered with a blanket of stars disappeared as thick black smoke dominated the clear air.

I was in my room on my computer chilling after a long day when I smelt the smoke from my windows, as if the very smell itself came to tell me of the news. Not long after, dad rushed in the house asking me to call the fire station. I panicked as I fumbled through the pages of the phone book looking for the emergency numbers. I dialed the numbers nervously and waited a few rings before someone picked up. I could hardly get the words out from the shock. Our family looked at the balcony staring at the flames that got bigger and bigger. I felt helpless, I needed to do something…I knew our church was doing something for sure about this, so I told my folks I would go to the church to see what I could do there. So I rushed out the door and ran a block towards our church…not knowing what to expect…

I could see people running the opposite direction from me as I headed towards the church, from afar I could see tons of people gathered around church, some were standing and others were running in and out dropping things off. As I got closer I saw a bunch of the girls from our worship team just agonizing over the events that were unfolding before them. I was just shocked… I could have never imagine such a scene, people were everywhere crying in corners, whaling thinking they have lost their family members, panicking, running, screaming each time a loud bang came from the burning sight. It was unbearable…I could feel my heart beating faster and faster as the situation sank in. My heart went out to everyone around me, and then out of nowhere a rush of thoughts hit me like a train. “What if I was in their shoes?” “What if it was my family member was left behind?” “What if my house was the one caught on fire?” I was so scared…My whole body started shaking as the response to my emotions. My heart sank..I felt hopeless…but then I looked at everyone around me who was actually going through it. I didn’t know what to do but just hug people around me.

Somehow I still didn’t feel that it wasn’t enough, I looked around to see if anyone else needed help. I saw a water container with cups around them, but no one was drinking them or knew they were there for that matter. So my brother and I took cups around to different people who needed water, especially the kids that look terrified. It felt pretty small…yet it was the only thing I knew I could do at that time…It was then where I felt I was finally doing something God called me to. After what seemed like a long transition in college, I finally felt my purpose in life again. And it all just started with a glass of water.

Everything is alright now, they got rid of the fire within 30 mins after it started, although at that time it felt like an eternity. Please continue on praying for the families that lost their homes in this event. Thankfully no one got killed or injured badly. Thank you so much!