成人快手

A spiritual comment and prayer to begin the day with the Rev Canon Dr Jennifer Smith

Good morning.

Today marks fifty five since Aberfan. When a Junior School and row of houses were buried under tons of slurry from a coal spoil tip saturated by rain, and a community lost huge swathes of its future generations.

116 children were killed, and 28 adults. Residents of the town, among them parents and neighbours of the children who had only just dropped them off, made a desperate attempt to dig out the school as the morning went on. Days later, the body of the deputy head was found with his arms around five of the children, as if to protect them. The nation grieved, and the tragic waste of life caused great shock, sadness, and then anger.

Years of legal and political battles followed as communities including Aberfan sought for other tips to be cleared. And hopefully, lessons were learned from the conclusions of the enquiry.

The memory of Aberfan burns hot when we consider the disproportionate effect of industrial waste on communities. And our prayers must be for better protection and post-industrial clean up, not just for comfort for those who lost loved ones and those who still grieve.

Dear Lord, stir our hearts to remember the children and adults killed in Aberfan. Comfort those who grieve, and re-build every community that has suffered loss. Let us all learn from the past. Strengthen all who work to prevent the pollution or destruction of communities today, and bring your peace.

Amen.