Worship is held the first thing each morning, at Lubbock Junior Academy. It is always special and always ends with prayer requests and prayer time with our Creator. Each Friday, stories are told about people who inspired the memorials and museums in the Washington, D.C. area. Last Friday, our story was about the most famous collision in U.S. Navy history.
It was August 2, 1943, on a hot, moonless night in the Pacific. Patrol Torpedo Boat 109 was idling in Blackett Strait in the Solomon Islands. The 80-foot craft had orders to attack enemy ships on a resupply mission. With virtually no warning, a Japanese destroyer emerged from the black night and smashed into PT-109, slicing it in two and igniting its fuel tanks. Eleven of the thirteen men aboard survived. The collision was just the beginning of several wrenching days of waiting, and wondering if they would be rescued.
Lieutenant John F. Kennedy sent a message, etched on a coconut, with a Polynesian native who appeared not to understand English. Lieutenant Kennedy escaped in a native canoe in which he was covered with palm fronds. Two of the 7 Polynesians rescuers were Seventh-day Adventists.
This Naval hero became a United States President who was assassinated on November 22nd, 1963, in Dallas, TX. President John Kennedy was buried in Arlington Cemetery at the request of his wife. It was also her wish to place an eternal flame at his grave. Our students will see this flame and President Kennedy’s grave during our trip to Washington, D.C.
The flame they see at Arlington Cemetery is but a small reminder of the bright, light God has given them to use for His glory. Please help our students to keep this eternal, God-given, light burning brightly for Him. Thank you for helping our students travel to Washington, D.C.
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