9-11 weighed heavy on hearts at Nov. 11th

Ken Johnston
editorial@RainyRiverRecord.com

“Those of us who did not grow up in war times found it easy to talk about war in the abstract (on Remembrance Day). They have been rudely awakened by September 11th, now realizing the price that was paid with thousands and thousands of lives for our freedoms,” said Legion Chaplin Pat White Sunday, during Remembrance Day ceremonies at the Rainy River Legion.
White delivered a message to a crowd of about 200 at the annual ceremonies that had special meaning this year. As she said, in the past many people could not understand the horrors of war personally as the last world war ended in 1945. After the September 11th terrorist attacks on the United States, she said, “We have looked in the face of evil and it has shaken us and hopefully not defeated us.”
White noted how many people have turned to their faith in God since the tragedy of Sept. 11th. She spoke of the horror people witnessed and felt as they watched on national television as it happened. She used a story of a veteran from New Brunswick that reflected on how in WWII he questioned his faith.
He would ask himself on the battlefield over the course of ten days if he could have faith in God with so much suffering and destruction around him.
White noted that he would say no five out of ten days. But the other five he would see God working in good ways with those who were suffering and that would reaffirm his faith.
She said that so many people reaffirmed their faith after Sept. 11th and that God was at work on that honorific day; helping those on the plane that went down without reaching its target and with those who have been sifting through the rubble day in day out since the tragedy.
“God was with those on the planes and in the towers. (He) brought us together as a nation and without a doubt we know God is holding onto us.”
Pastor Darlene Smith of the Good News Fellowship Church gave the invocation Sunday and prayed for people to remember the cost for freedom and to, “Protect us from future harm and the soldiers out there today.”
Rainy River Mayor Gord Prost read the honour roll of local veterans that gave the supreme sacrifice in WWI, WWII and the Korean War. He asked the public to remember that while some of the names are unfamiliar to people that at one time they were all loved ones to someone.
That was followed by two minutes of silence, in which Master of Ceremonies and Legion President Gerry Marchuk asked everyone to remember those who lost their lives on Sept. 11th and especially the firemen and policemen that were killed.
After the deafening silence Marchuk read the poem that so many people know by heart:
They shall not grow old
As we left will grow old
Let age not weary them
At the going down of the sun
We will remember them
Glen Armstrong of the Anglican Church urged people to seek refuge in God in these troubling times.
Gord Armstrong of the Covenant Church read a poem called, Who is the Unknown Soldier. He later gave the Benediction at the Cenotaph ceremonies, which followed the Legion ceremonies. At the benediction he thanked the Legion for all it has done for the community over the decades.
A record number of wreaths were placed at the Rainy River Cenotaph.
Fifty-four of them were laid there and those placing them had difficulty finding a bare spot around the cenotaph which had an honour guard from the Fort Frances Sea Cadets.
Many people said the cadets added a really nice touch to the Cenotaph Ceremony. Lt. Newman said that the cadets acted as honour guard for six ceremonies across the district Sunday at Rainy River, Stratton, Barwick, Emo, Devlin and Fort Frances.