Dorothea Mackellar’s famous poem has been brought to mind again in our sunburnt land. While half of Queensland is under water, Victoria and NSW are still trying to deal with the worst day of fires in the nation’s history. This is now worse than the Ash Wednesday fires of 1983.
Call 1800 811 700 to donate to the Victorian Bushfire Appeal
This post is for those who have lost loved ones and homes. Our prayers and thoughts are with you. At the time of posting, 84 people have died in Victoria. This is a disaster on a massive scale for us, and I have to say that I think the response of the Victorian Premier, John Brumby, has been admirable. He has been visible, he has been compassionate, and he has sought assistance when it has been needed. The true heroes though are the firefighters, many of whom are volunteers from the CFA. If you see one of them on the road somewhere, give them a donation and let them know what a fantastic job they do, often at risk to their own lives.
The ABC has also set up a page for people who would like to help. They say they have already been inundated with offers of assistance. This is the great thing about Australia. When disaster strikes, we rally around each other and help each other out. When you watch the news over the next few days, take a minute to think and pray for the victims and everyone involved.
