Asbury Student Missing

Asbury has a news feed for faculty and students on the website. I noticed Saturday a piece of news that said an Asbury student was considered dead in the Hatti earthquake. I had noticed postings of the student being listed as "missing" since the earthquake. I was struck by the significance we give to closure. I considered what it would be like to have a funeral and to mourn the death of a loved one without having a body. I know people do it everyday, but I can not imagine the way that would haunt you. Simply put, this is a pain that never dies. It is a I imagine there would always be a shred of hope that the loved one would be found or reappear. How do you let go of something if you can never know whether or not it (they) are gone? What a paradox! I am forced to recognize that thousands of people are dealing with that kind of closure right now, and every disaster leaves a whole host of individuals dealing with uncertain grief. What does that do to a nation? How can a nation look to the future if they can not close a chapter of their history?

Soudtrack: Blessed Be Your Name, Matt Redman