Power to the People

   Squeals of delight! Cheers! ‘Thank you’s’ shared. Is 

this a ball game? A wedding? No, it is simply that

someone turned the lights on.

   This was in a school in Puerto Rico late January 2018.

I saw and read on news programs how delighted the

children were to have electricity - lights back on!

Back in September 2017 a horrible hurricane devastated

Puerto Rico. Most of the country has been (and still is)

without electricity for months.

   So this was like a miracle for these kids.  They had been

delayed returning to school to begin with due to

destruction of these buildings and their homes.

   The power of electricity is far-reaching.  It's impact on

our daily lives is pretty much taken for granted.  In my 

lifetime it was always there.  Except once in a while

when it wasn't.  As a kid there were times our electric was

cut off due to dad not being able to pay the bill.  I

remember late one fall hurrying home from school to be 

able to do my homework before it got dark.  I don't

remember us even owning a flashlight, and candles were 

sparse.  I remember feeling sad, feeling scared.

   Food couldn't be kept fresh.  I don't even remember

what we ate, bread and something.  It sure was good

to have a hot meal at school.  Just think - the kids

in Puerto Rico couldn't even get that for months.

   One afternoon walking home from school one of my
sisters caught up to me to tell me "the electricity's back

on!"  She was delighted!  So was I! I ran home to see. 

Yes, there was light! I don't remember squealing; I don't

remember cheering; I don't remember thanking anyone. 

I do remember feeling grateful.  (All these years later I

give thanks to the Lord who makes all things possible.)

   Some of us today need to remember times in our lives

like this.  To remember what we've gone through,

what we felt.  To remember as a child we were powerless

to fix the problem.  Children depend on adults to help

them through with problems big and small.  That help is

not only from immediate family but extends on to those in

government, with programs like FEMA, state agencies etc.

   And if you've never had such an experience, you can
still imagine it.  Better yet, turn off the power yourself, and

live without it for awhile.  Not a good feeling, huh? Let us

bring power to the people.          Theresa M

Addendum:   CBS reporter David Begnaud reported from

Puerto Rico this weekend that the power there is still

not on in many places, and even where it is there have

been blackouts.  Let's keep them in our prayers;

may God empower them.