Everyone remembers where they were that day

Thursday marked the 24th anniversary of the attacks on the World Trade center and the Pentagon in Washington DC. That morning was sunny and warm in the Buffalo area. Having the morning off I took my wife Rachel to work and then took my young daughter with me while I did some work on the Caboose Museum next to town hall. After we were done I took her train watching at our usual spot on Old Broadway just like most days we were together. On the radio we heard the news of the first plane striking one of the towers of the World Trade Center. My first thought is some misguided person flew their small private plane into the side of the building causing minimal damage. Then shortly after news of another plane hitting the other tower came over the radio, at that point we knew something was going horribly wrong. We decided to go home and watch the news on the television. On the way home we heard of a 3rd plane hitting the Pentagon in Washington DC. Upon getting home we got a call from my wife that she was being sent home as were all her co-workers. We lived near the flight path of the Buffalo Airport. Within the next few hours countless planes began to land one after another as all flights were grounded. Soon after it was 4 days of eerie silence. My mother was in Washington DC just across from the Pentagon when the plane hit it and saw the whole thing take place. She too was sent home a few days later. From then on for a while the world had changed.

In the weeks after Rachel was assigned a detail in the New York City area. Both my daughter and I went with her for the months it took place. It was my first visit to New York City so my view of city life there was likely tainted by the post 911 era. People were on edge. Life was definitely different for those who lived there. The police and National Guard were everywhere. Being an outsider I was continually met with suspicion as I went out into the community. Oftentimes being stopped by the police when the reports of me taking photographs were sent out by concerned citizens. By the time December came things started to get back to normal until Flight 187 slammed into Far Rockaway killing all on board and many people on the ground. Some of which were first responders who were at the World Trade center in response to the attack. Once again the New York area was shut down for a few days until it was learned that the tail of the plane broke off upon take off. While it was still tragic to the New York area, many were also glad it was not another attack. Sometime after that we made our way to the Empire State Building. We decided to go there instead of ground zero where the World Trade Center once stood. Many people went to see the location but I could not bring myself to do it. From the top of the Empire State Building you can still see it anyway. Even months later the fire there was still burning and still visible for where we were. It would be one of the longest burning fires in all of history.

One memory that always haunted me was seeing a car parked at the train station near us every day I was there. In the same spot day after day. Over time parts were stolen from it and the windows were broken. Eventually after several weeks it was finally towed away. It was later learned that it belonged to an individual that died in the twin towers. Like always they parked their car, went to work but this day they never returned again.

In the time we were there we attended a local church in Queens. In the past before we got there the church attendance was around 80 people. In the time after the attacks it swelled up to over 120. Back in Buffalo our church also grew as people were startled awake by the attacks. They made people think about their mortality and about God and it seemed that they were eager to start a relationship with Him and His son Jesus Christ. Over time unfortunately, the numbers began to drop again and complacency replaced urgency.

It was the hope of many that this would be a wakeup call to our country that would start to think more about the things that matter. The things that gave it purpose and blessings in the sight of God. It did for a little while but soon it seems many slid back into their old ways. We see things we never thought we would ever see in the United States 24 years after. Hatred, violence, murder, lawlessness, perversion, a loss of patriotism, and a general sense of apathy now dominate life; it seems far more than they did then. As I am writing this news of Charlie Kirk’s assassination was just coming over the news. There is talk about a possible coming civil war both here in the US and Great Britain. Both countries as well as many others are now divided. They are not divided over politics as much as moral issues that cloud the minds of men to the realities around them. The issues that prevent them from living the way they were supposed to live and have moral restraint they need to have. Many of them willfully embrace this corruption for their own gain to the expense of the very people they are supposed to lead and protect. As like many Christians I hope it’s not too late for people to once again find their place in God’s plan and live their life accordingly. Hopefully it will happen before we are shaken once again out of our sleep.

No matter how hard they try, truth cannot be silenced.

Your Brother in Christ,

Steve Koenig

Lakeshore Fellowship