9/11 Anniversary (September 25th, 2002)
John 14:6
Last September on the 11th, I was preparing for the 18th C&MA Korean District meeting in Chicago. Around 11 o’clock in the morning, I was going to the airport to get on the plane. I had called another reverend who I couldn’t meet. His voice was alarming and said to not to go to the airport, but turn on the TV instead. After the phone call, I saw on the TV an unbelievable sight. The Twin Towers of New York was collapsing in flames. The next 4 days, I tried to head to the airport to see if any planes were going. If none had made, I returned to my room, trying to get another flight. I was hung on the phone for the 4 days.
After the ordeal, I gave up on the airplane and decided on train instead. But all the tickets on Amtrak were also sold. Even the Rental Cars were all rented out as well. Thankfully, one of the elders helped me and I was able to get to Chicago Greyhound station. The waiting room was like the Seoul train station at the Autumn Festivals. After I had barely received my ticket, I finally thought, ‘Well I would finally go home!’ but that was short lived. I did buy a ticket to Los Angeles that was an express bus but, the announcement personnel said that the bus will be a local stop instead. The very next day, I got into the transfer station, and after short discussion, I got on the express bus instead and after a 54 hour ride, I finally arrived at Los Angeles. The bus had passed 7 different states in the process. The only hygiene offered was to brush teeth and washing the face. It was a very difficult travel. When I had arrived at the bus station, with the help of another assisting pastor, I was heading to Long Term Parking in the LAX (Los Angeles International Airport), when there was an alert going on saying, there was an unidentified bag in the area where I had parked. Since it was feared to be a bomb, everyone was restricted from entering that area. When I finally, finally got home around dusk, I was a leek kimchi. (A Korean way of saying, you are severely tired and burned out.)
A year had passed; I still remember them like yesterday.
In a survey, people over 18 had voted about 30% of them still remember the tragedy. About 35% of them said, they think of it once every week. It would be soon forgotten, but the tragic event and the loss of the symbol of the capitalist society, the Twin Tower’s aftermath would go for a long time. The total loss of life was 3,395 and during the 262 day cleanup operation, over 1.8billion ton of debris was removed from the site.
After the terrorist attack, many travelers and immigrants had to accept the discomfort of the process of coming to United States. Whenever someone boards a plane, they feel like prisoners. The feeling of when the airport security personnel going through all of the belongings is unexplainable. The American citizen had witness an unheard of event, of not only the American soil being attacked, but the National Security Headquarters as well! The view of immigrants had changed drastically, especially toward Arabians. The world had started a war with a faceless opponent, and the economy took a turn for the worse. It is revealed that nowhere on the earth is there a safe place.
But on the other side, the American patriotism had revived. After the incident, every American households and cars had the American flag waving. Serious consideration of family had increased. During the last Thanksgiving, and Christmas, many of the highways were filled with families heading to see their parents. It was a small spark, but people attending church had also spiked significantly.
We live in extreme Information Technology (IT) generation. Professor Edward De Bono, who had coined the term “Lateral Thinking” said that the “IT generation of geniuses have come and gone”, the time of a person’s worth is now here. Our future’s hope in occupation is “Value Designer”. The want for that occupation had risen after the 9/11 terrorist attack. Many people think of family and neighbors very important, but in spirit there was not an awakening to that yet.
After the September 11th Attacks, we look at wealth, scientific advancement, and life’s happiness is not something secure. Jesus said the person’s value does not only stand in their knowledge or wealth alone. This was a serious check point for people to realize, that we are not our owners.
“True Value” is only earned when we repent of our sins, and to be forgiven by God, thereby becoming his children. The “Eternal Value” is earned when we love God and our neighbors in relation to them.
As we live in an insecure and empty generation, it is time to spread the Gospel to show what the true meaning of life is all about. Jesus said in John 14:6, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
Jesus is the only thing we need to have the “True Meaning” of life.
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To Fly Over 
9/11 Anniversary