麻豆约拍

Good Morning

On this day in 2005, four young men initiated a series of explosions on London's transport system killing 56 people, including themselves, and injuring over 700 others.

Of those who were injured was the beautiful, and extraordinary Gill Hicks. Gill was on the Piccadilly line train that was blown up by Jermaine Lindsay. She lost 75% of her blood supply and both her legs. She survived only because of the care of the emergency services who went into the carnage, not knowing if there were secondary devices.

To this day, Gill suffers constant pain and discomfort that she herself says is 鈥渢oo immense for me to describe in words.鈥�

And yet鈥� and yet鈥�
Despite experiencing, in every nerve ending of her body, the results of hatred; despite her body being torn apart by extremism, Gill still loves. She spends her waking moments dedicating her life to unity, peace, and understanding. She tries to bring healing where there is hatred. I am truly blessed and proud to know her.

I don鈥檛 know if I could demonstrate such compassion in the face of adversity, such resilience in the face of hardship. What I do know is that it should not take disaster and tragedy to make us realise that hatred, extremism and the mantra of 鈥渢hem and us鈥�, lead us to extreme darkness.

Dear Lord, you tell us in the Qur鈥檃n that you could have created us all the same, but that you chose to make us different so that we may know one another. Let us know one another in love and compassion, let us sow peace, forgiveness, and tolerance. Grant us the strength to be instruments of your peace, not tools used for hatred. Ameen