October 29, 2001
DOWN HOME:
Teddy bear scare strikes very near
___The trauma of terrorism struck close to home last week.
___I clicked on my e-mail and received a message that took my breath away: "The disaster relief crew from Plains, Texas, who have been serving in New York ... have been quarantined due to the discovery of a white powder substance in one of the Teddy bears sent for ministry with children."
___Like millions of Americans, I have cried rivers of tears since Sept. 11. Memory makes me weep still: Videos of planes flying into theWorld Trade Center. The Cantor Fitzgerald president's unashamed tearful description of his anguish after losing three-quarters of the people who worked with him. Pictures of the U.S. flag hanging from the smoldering Pentagon. Any story about the ordinary people, heroes all, who took down Flight 93 before it could wipe out the White House or the Capitol.
MARV KNOX
Editor
___Empathy flows more easily now. Airplane attacks, anthrax scares and fear of the malevolent unknown have brought us together as a national community. We have grieved for the fallen and prayed for survivors and loved ones.
___But I didn't know anyone who had been threatened directly. Until last week. These people from Plains are folks I not only know but love. Pastor Bill Wright is a dear friend and brother in the Lord. And that church out there, I can't think about it without smiling and thanking God for every memory of them. They represent what's best about Texas Baptists. They're big-hearted, optimistic, generous, energetic and tireless. They love other people almost as much as they love the Lord. (And the folks from Sundown and Jayton who joined them are the same, or they wouldn't be there.)
___I called the church. They hadn't heard anything, so I played dumb (not hard) in order to keep from alarming them. Then I dialed Bill's cell phone number. Error tone. Dialed again. Error tone. I slowed down and prayed for Bill and Linda, his wife, and all the crew.
___Before long, I reached John LaNoue, the former Texas Baptist Men staff member who is coordinating Baptist disaster relief efforts in New York.
___"It's all over," John said. "We were quarantined for a short time. The 'white powder' wasn't anthrax. It turned out to be broken-down packets of the gel they use to protect the Teddy bears in shipping."
___That's about the time I started taking normal breaths again.
___John had more good news: They had distributed more than 5,000 Teddy bears to children, firefighters, police and even soldiers. And the bears "opened the door" to share the good news of Jesus, the Prince of Peace.
___As I hung up the phone, I couldn't help but recall the divine promise that in all things, at all times, God is with us, working to bring about good. Even from the designs of terror.
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