Aussie_Chic remembers...RVF

For me, today has been about honouring the Australians who lost their lives on October 12, 2002.... as well as standing with SoldiersAngel's very own Aussie - Aussie_Chic. When I first told Mel that I planned to join her in the fast this day, I asked her to point me in the right direction to links that would give me a sense of the people, the losses. She did that, and more. She also shared with me HER experience of that day.... I told her I would be sharing her words with you, and it seems fitting that I finish this day with her words of what that day meant to her...how it affected her....{{{{{{{{Mel}}}}}}}}}}} thank you for allowing me to stand with you today......Love you..

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I remember it all though. I was working in a remote town called Blinman up in the Flinders Ranges when it happened. I had been working all day and wandered into the front bar of the pub for tea around 6pm (News time). That was the first thing I saw, the bar which was usually full and loud was dead silent, tv's just showing flames. That's all I really remember seeing was flames. I caught what I could of the report but none of it made sense so when it was over I asked the Barman Chris. He told me that Bali had been bombed, they weren't sure at that point what was happening but there were alot of Aussies over there.

I remember sitting down at the bar and Chris bringing me a (rather strong) drink. Then panic as I realised one of my oldest friends, someone I had grown up with was over there. I ran to the phone to call her mum but couldn't get through. The phones are all solar powered out there and the tourists regularly used all the power so we were stuck with no phone. I had to wait for it to charge back up and wasn't able to get to the phone til the next day. It was, in fact, three days before I learnt Jackie was ok. She'd had an early flight out the next day so hadn't stayed late at the bars, had gone home early. For days we watched report after report until they found the mastermind. That grinning Bastard Amrozi. That man was to become the bane of every Aussies existance, sitting in court grinning like an idiot while he was tried for his part in the murders of over 200 people.

I think that is possibly what bothers me the most about these attacks. Killing innocent people is an honor to them.

My nana had a friend who was in her fifties, had separated from her husband and decided it was time to go out and enjoy her life. She booked a flight to Bali for a well deserved holiday and would have been dancing the night away when those bombs exploded. I remember reading a report from her son about having to actually open body bag after body bag looking for the remains of his mother. Day after day after day looking at one dead person after another.

Yes, Australia took Bali damm personally. We were lucky we weren't attacked on our own soil, but the people behind the bombings have admitted Aussies were the target. Young kids whose lives had barely begun, our best and brightest died that night. Kids with so much to offer. No, Australia will not forget the 10 people we lost on 9/11 and we wont ever forget the 88 at Bali. In 2 months I will say farewell Joe at the airport as he goes to fight for those people and those of us here so that this never happens to us again.

While I shed tears at the thought of him going they can never over shadow the intense pride I have in him for walking the walk. He saw things he didn't like int he world and he took the stand to help ensure this did not happen to us on our soil. Only time will tell on that and in the meantime I will continue to pray for both his safety and the safety of all who fight for the same thing he does - World Peace.

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