Earlier this week, a wildfire ripped through Talent and Phoenix, Oregon, where our family has lived since my great grandparents moved there in a covered wagon. The fire passed between our family's farm and Phoenix High School, and it's only a ten-minute drive between them. I praise the Lord my parents are fine, except that they're without power or running water. Fire came close to several of our friends but their property was spared. I was grieved, however, to discover that two of my friends lost everything, and we're praying for the thousands like them.
This tragedy inspired us to share my one-man playFive Bells for 9/11throughout this weekend.
We're praying that sharing this play now is a good way to honor our first responders on September 11, 2001, when our nation was attacked by terrorists, and we also want it to honor our first responders who are fighting to protect our citizens today.
The play tells the stories of three people who were directly impacted: Bruce Van Hine, a fire fighter for Squad 41; Lana Ho Shing, a mutual funds specialist for Morgan Stanley, and Father Brian Jordan, a Franciscan priest at the Church of St. Francis.
I wrote this piece in such a way as to leave the audience with new, healing memories linked to those that still wound some of us. Ann Van Hine, the wife of Bruce, the firefighter in the play, said, "We shouldn't be coping, we should be hoping." You'll see her speak after the play.
It is my deepest desire that this play will bring hope and healing.
Click the image below to watch.
Performed in NYC just before the 15th anniversary of 9/11.
