The fires

This is a picture from the Herald Sun newspaper site, of Marysville where 1 in 5 people are believed to have perished...

The Victorian bushfires have been much on my mind this week. AGA’s brother phoned to say that they had seen the burnt remains of their house at Flowerdale, on TV, but are not allowed to go to look at it themselves because the army are still combing the area for dead bodies. Many people they new are presumed dead. Now we read of eight charred bodies found huddled around a baby they were presumably trying to save when the fires hit. As the Prime Minister said, many good people have died.

Some silly people ask where God was when this happened.  They always take it out on God when something bad happens but never say 'God is here' when something good takes place. Our Lord God is still as convenient a scape goat for unbelievers as He was all those centuries ago when he came to Earth to die for our sins!

There have been horrific stories and heroic stories. Tales of seemingly miraculous escapes and reports of those sadly waiting to find some trace of their lost ones presumed dead. We are told that some people will never be found – their bodies cremated in the intense heat. 

Around 1 million animals are believed to have perished: pets, livestock and wildlife: this includes small colonies of little known species that are close to extinction. 

Incredibly a thief has been caught on camera actually stealing the collection tins for the victims of these fires (now, I believe captured) from various places while another has been captured by the police for looting along with others who actually lit some of the fires in the first place!! Despite these few instances of wickedness there has been a great outpouring of good which justifies my belief that people are on the whole more given to good than to wickedness. Money has been pouring in, as have clothing and toys and everyday items for those who have lost their homes and livelihoods. Companies are donated free mobile phones and computers to allow contact with farflung family. A manufacturer has donated a large quantity of shoes to replace those that people lost (along with everything else they owned) while running for their lives (something you might not think of). Animals too are thought of and food, medication and other things are also in abundance – all donated out of the goodness of the hearts of all sorts of people.

All sorts of aid have arrived along with large sums of money as everyone digs into their purses to produce their ‘mite’ to assist. 

On the whole, many ‘goodnesses’ have come about as a result of these terrible fires. Goodness that cannot help but please Our Lord God. 

And finally there is this story to please your heart, especially if you are an animal lover. I won’t paraphrase it but will insert it verbatim from the Herald Sun (www.heraldsun.com.au) dated 14 February:

LEVI the unwanted stray turned into a hero when he dragged his 90-year-old owner away from her burning house and into a dam.

Gladys "Val" Cross, who adopted Levi when no one else wanted him, had the little terrier on a lead as the fire approached.

She went outside to turn off the power at her Steels Creek home without realising the fire was already on top of her.

As the house exploded in flames Levi dragged her more than 100m through smoke and across burning grass to the farm dam.

The determined war widow sheltered with Levi in the dam for more than four hours, watching her farm burn.

She even managed to pin-point the explosion she believed was the end of her brand new washing machine.

As soon as the fire front passed, neighbour Joanne Spears went to check on Ms Cross and came away feeling numb, certain she was dead.

"The house completely caved in. I kept thinking 'we've lost Val'," Ms Spears said. "We were pretty much in mourning for her. I came in and rang her niece and told her to expect bad news."

Later that night she asked passing firefighters to search for Ms Cross, and they soon returned with the 90-year-old sitting in the front seat.

Ms Spears was thrilled but not surprised to hear her neighbour survived. "If anyone was going to survive that fire it was Val."

Ms Cross escaped with burns to her face and legs, and is in the Maroondah Hospital, but her problems won't stop when she is discharged.

Friends said she was insured until six months ago when she had a stoush with her insurance company over their demands to deadlock the house. She thought it was dangerous for elderly people to be deadlocked inside in case of an emergency.

"She will hate living anywhere else," Ms Spears said.

"She is incredibly independent and competent, and I know she will not want to live anywhere other than on her property with her dog."