Saturday, September 03, 2005

Another Rescue Story

Ted M. is a young lawyer in El Jefe's firm. He graduated from Tulane University in New Orleans, and so he has been spending a lot of time finding out whether his friends who still lived in the area got out safely.

Yesterday Ted became concerned about Professor R., an elderly gentleman around 90 years old, who had befriended him when he was a student. When he called "Tulane-in-Exile" which is now based in Houston they told him they had not heard from the professor. Miraculously (because most phone circuits are still so overloaded that you can't get through to NO) Ted reached his home on the first try and spoke to the professor's sister who is in her eighties herself.

She said their situation was dire. They have been trapped on the second floor of their home with a foot of water extending to that level since Katrina. They had no food and were almost out of safe drinking water. Their housekeeper was also with them. Miss R said that she feared her brother could not be moved now.

Ted called back to the Tulane group in Houston and reported Prof. R's whereabouts, urgently asking that they get word of the need for rescue. A few hours later the National Guard found them and got all three out of the flooded house and to safety. I don't know the professor's current condition, but he is surely better off now and his sister and housekeeper are well.

It's been said that God uses us as His hands to help others. This time God used a young lawyer, in a suit, with a blackberry wireless device to bring about a rescue.

8 comments:

John said...

God using a lawyer for good?

Truly there is nothing beyond the power of our Almighty Lord!

reverendmother said...

Thanks be to God.

Jules said...

What RM said!

Anonymous said...

A couple of Houston vignettes: we flew from Jackson to Houston this afternoon after tending to some family business in MS (not storm-related, fortunately). The plane was delayed and the terminal was full of exhausted-looking people, including two small boys sound asleep on blankets on the floor. Once we were underway, the pilot apologized for the delay and said, "We know many of you have experienced a lot of trouble and heartache in the past several days, so please sit back, relax, and let us do the work for a while."

After arriving, we drove past the Astrodome on our way to retrieving my husband's truck, which we had left at his office nearby. People, each wearing a pink wristband, were everywhere. One or two were panhandling (HOMELESS/FROM NEW ORLEANS/PLEASE HELP/GOD BLESS). Many more were just stretching their legs, strolling up and down the street. Most looked very tired. "And he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd." Please keep all of our guests in your prayers and pray that we may be equal to helping and comforting them.

Jody Harrington said...

Thanks, Zorra, for sharing your experiences. And amen to your prayer.

Anonymous said...

Hmmm. A blackberry actually put to good use . . ..

Princess of Everything (and then some) said...

I am still just stunned as I watch the news. How wonderful that he was able to be the one used to save others.

Unknown said...

It just underscores how important it is to be connected to others, so that someone will miss you and look for you! Bless that young man for thinking of his professor.