USA (MNN) — It's been one week since the senseless tragedy at Virginia Tech. The
shooting rampage took the lives of 32 people. The campus continues to feel
grief, a sense of loss, and confusion about why this happened.
The
tragedy hit Campus Crusade for Christ. Three of their students were
killed. It also has had an effect on Life Action Revival Ministries .
Executive
Director of Life Action Ministries is Byron Paulus. He says Life Action has connections
to the shooting, including their THIRST team which was scheduled to begin a
conference over the weekend in the Hampton, VA area. "One of the gals
who lost her life in the shooting in the classroom was a member of that
church. We were going to be there four or five days to minister, and now, of
course, the memorial service and the needs of that family are just far
greater."
Be
praying for the family of Nicole White and the Nansemond River Baptist Church.
According
to Paulus they have yet another connection: 20-year-old Lauren McCain.
"The New York Times said she was known to love Jesus with all her heart.
And a couple of our team members were staying in that home just this past
October as we were there ministering. To see that family and her parents
seek the Lord and love the Lord and be responsive to Him and have this happen
to this family is a tragedy."
While
many are grieving, Paulus says God uses these times for His glory. "I
believe situations like this, unpredictable tragedies, every single person is
thinking in light of eternity. And what an opportunity then to see God's glory
and God's work [of] redeeming people, bringing them to Himself through
tragedies like this."
Ministries
are already seeing this happen. "In every ministry they're seeing the
redemptive work of God in the midst of pain and loss. God's people are
responding in ways that lift Him up and reach out to help others."
Paulus
says when believers are affected, they have a unique opportunity to talk to
non-Christians. "When a crisis hits, horrible things like the loss of a
fiancée or the Virginia Tech tragedy, they're watching. And they're wondering, 'Are they going to get angry and bitter?' We know there is
a providential God who's sovereign. Though we don't understand, we know that He
does all things well."
This
tragedy has also had an impact on college campuses around the United States.
"There is one gal who called her father and said, 'What can I do?' All he
knew to say is, 'Why don't you get other college students together and pray.'
She began to do that. [She] e-mailed some of her friends. And by Friday night
there [were] over 200 campuses that called times of corporate, collective
prayer on their campuses."
Continue
to pray for the hurting families. Pray also that God will provide opportunities
for Christians to share their faith.
