As you know, our theme of RESCUE ‘09 was greatly enhanced by wearing the Fire & Rescue work shirts of several fire departments from Oklahoma City to Catoosa. To say thanks we prepared a couple of special gifts for each fire department: a custom framed t-shirt and a photo of the youth choir taken at the Permian Basin Regional Training Center–a fire & rescue training center in Carlsbad, NM.
On Monday, June 29, the music staff headed north to make the first of our very special deliveries. The smell of smoke permeated the air as we arrived to meet Chief Tom Stafford and members of the all volunteer crew at the Crescent Fire Department which had just returned from extinguishing a wheat field fire. As volunteers they are ready at a moment’s notice to drop what they’re doing and come to the aid of those in need.
On the following Wednesday we made three more stops: Deer Creek, Edmond, & Tinker Air Force Base.
James with Deer Creek Fire Chief, Doug McWilliams and one of three other employeed firefighters. Did you know that after 4:00 in the afternoon the Deer Creek Fire Department is manned by volunteers and that all their paid firefighters also work on the fire crew at Will Rogers World Airport?
James making a presentation to John Neely of the Edmond Fire Department. It was John who suggested we visit the Permian Basin facility while in Carlsbad which turned out to be a great experience for us all.
James with Capt. Jimmy Westervelt at Tinker Air Force Base. Capt. Westervelt was so kind to meet us at the gate and drive us on base so we could make our presentation. Afterward he gave us a tour of the main fire station (in case you didn’t know, there are three at Tinker) including the dispatch center. During our visit we even heard a fire alarm for one of the other stations.
We left all the sites with deep respect and a new appreciation for the service these men and women perform for our communities. It truly takes courage, strength, and diligence to be a firefighter (whether employed or volunteer), and we cannot say enough about the sacrifice they make to be physically fit and knowledgeable in their skill so that they are prepared to rescue from dangerous situations, whenever and wherever called upon.
And this was the focus of our tour on a spiritual level–rescue. When one of my sons was a small child he told me that when he grew up he wanted to be either a fireman or a preacher. His reasoning was, “I figure either way I’ll be savin’ people.” Like a firefighter, this is the heart of our mission: sharing the good news that Jesus saves in our songs, our words and our deeds in hopes that we can rescue those who are perishing.
Highlights of our trip were:
Now, with RESCUE ‘09 behind us, we look forward to the opportunities that lie ahead in the coming year for the youth choir as we eagerly watch God put every piece in place for next year’s trip and follow His leading.
RESCUE ‘09 blogs written by Cindy Wallace, Worship Ministry Assistant
