Latest News #231 - Australia
February 6, 2003

Canberra bush fire victims seek answers in Scripture

The ferocious bush fire, fuelled by winds blowing at 120 kms per hour (72 miles per hour), that swept across the western and northern suburbs of Canberra on January 18, 2003 claimed the lives of four people, injured many others and destroyed 550 homes. Canberra, Australia. Photo: The Bible Society in Australia (AUS03DJ-1)

CANBERRA, Australia — Many of the victims of the ferocious bush fire that swept across the western and northern suburbs of Canberra on January 18 are “seeking answers to the hard questions” about why God appeared to have abandoned them, according to the Bible Society in Australia (NSW). After massive flames fuelled by winds blowing at 120 kms per hour (72 miles per hour) killed four people, injured many others and destroyed 550 homes, even the newspapers were asking “Where was God?”.

Many people have turned to the Scriptures for comfort and guidance. At New Creation Ministries, an Apostolic church which lost its buildings in the fire, members were reminded by Pastor John McNamara through Paul's words in Romans 8 that God had not abandoned them: “I am sure that nothing can separate us from God’s love - not life or death, not angels or spirits, not the present or the future, and not powers above or powers below” (CEV).

This text has reassured both young and old at a time of fear, anger and uncertainty. The Bible Society has heard of several examples of this. They include an eight-year-old girl whose initial frightened reaction to the destruction of some houses in her street was to exclaim, “I hate God for doing this”. She later read Paul’s words by torchlight in The Prize, a Bible Society New Testament she had received shortly before the fire, and was encouraged by her mother to acknowledge her fears and view the future more positively.

A petrol station is engulfed by flames in the ferocious bush fire, fuelled by winds blowing at 120 kms per hour (72 miles per hour), that swept across the western and northern suburbs of Canberra on January 18, 2003. The fire claimed the lives of four people, injured many others and destroyed 550 homes. Canberra, Australia. Photo: The Bible Society in Australia (AUS03DJ-2)