Now, this is a unified
love knot
It was the winter of ice and accidents.
We watch the disasters on the news and cluck our sympathies to one
another, sending out wishes for goodness along the way. The freak trailer
gate accident that took the lives of a senior couple two weeks ago ...
it makes us pause and wonder with sadness.
And after the pictures in the newspaper, the radio announcements and
the TV coverage ... then, what?
Cindy Morris was driving her youngest child to Guthrie School on Jan.
28.
She was on the 5th line of Oro-Medonte Township, hit a patch of ice
and ended up T-boned by a school bus. It was horrific and will be burned
into the memory of her son, Kyle, forever.
In a way, Cindy was lucky. An OPP officer who had just dropped his child
off at Guthrie School came upon the scene at the same time as a first
response EMT worker who had dropped off his child. With their speedy
assistance, Cathy was airlifted from the accident scene to Sunnybrook
Hospital. She spent three weeks in Critical Care and two weeks in Intensive
Care, and another few weeks in a trauma ward.
Her injuries were extensive. About 30 people from Cathy's community
set up a rotational 24/7 vigil during her weeks at Sunnybrook to be
there for her.
She was never left alone, and the team helped care for her children
as well.
Today, she's calling Soldiers' Memorial Hospital her home as she tries
to move from wheelchair to walker and deal with bone and tissue recovery.
This is the story we don't read, after the headlines fade and the TV
lights turn off. This is the story of a life of a single mom absolutely
shattered in a split second. Cathy's children, Kayla, 15; Alyssa, 13
and Kyle, 9, have been cared for by her vast community of friends. Cathy's
job as the pastoral assistant for two churches has screeched to a stop.
So has her income. Here is this modest, self-effacing woman who would
blush at any attention.
And here are her friends. Her church community – three churches,
in fact – her neighbours, her friends, her community at large
have all come together for an evening of song, supplication and support
for Cathy Morris.
Three churches have joined forces to offer three concerts on one evening,
next Saturday, May 10. At 6:30 p.m., the doors will open to Barrie's
Free Methodist Church, Oro's Trinity Community Church, and Orillia's
Bethel Baptist Church. Christian musicians will fill the rafters with
music and song; people will tell stories, and those in attendance will
celebrate life.
Terry Craig is one of the organizers of this event, called Under One
Roof.
"When the accident happened we opened a trust fund for Cathy and
started asking for donations.
We decided to hold a benefit concert which would involve three denominations
in three churches in three communities, all with one goal. In the development
of this idea, lovely coincidences are occurring as people connect in
an outpouring of support for this popular woman and her family.
Terry stresses that while the doors to this event are opening into Christian
churches, all faiths are welcome. It's an opportunity for humankind
to join hands, praise their maker, and reach out to their fellow human
being who is in great need.
Terry says there will be video segments that will connect the audience
to Cindy, who cannot be there. Dubbed "music, life, faith"
Terry expects that live contemporary Christian music, volunteered by
three Christian bands, will fill each hall with energy.
Our purpose, says Terry, is to unite in praise and worship, and to help
Cindy.
"From our perspective, it's a tragic event; it has stirred three
communities to come together and help someone. I don't think this has
been done at this level before.
"We're hoping for attendance of at least 300 people per venue and
with a voluntary donation, we're hoping the outpouring of physical assistance
will make a big difference to Cathy," he said.
No registration, just an open invitation.
Thanks, Terry. And thanks, to Cindy's community of friends.
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