Thailand: 12 teenagers lost in cave, 9 days now. Say a prayer, please

a good explanation and an apology is quite often all we get in this life.
And of course one is to be expected in these circumstance.

It doesn't look well suited to tight cave passages. It could block the way if it became stuck.

But, possibly useful in rescues where there's more space for it, and the journey out is much shorter.

Also, if you were rescuing say a small child or baby from an air pocket in a capsized ship such a device might be the only way to get them out.

I didn't say you couldn't find a good use.":O}

We get into lots of tight spots in this world, This is bound to be just right for one of them.
To be honest...I hadn't thought of the troubles getting it stuck could bring on...especially if it means we can't extract the occupant. Yeah, they diffidently didn't start out designing this for caves.

No doubt it's day will come.

Well, they're all out now; will have to stay in the hospital until they are cleared for release. A good day.

Also I'm hearing in the Thai press conference that the support people are being evacuated, and that they expect all to be out of the cave in the morning sometime [It's after 9PM here]

When the drought ends
and crops are spared
When the fires die at at our door steps...

When the finders of lost children
deliver precious cargo into a our arms...

How then shall we give our thanks?
Shall we build alters of commemoration?

Shall we gather in celebration of lives
That might have been no longer ours?
no longer among us?

Oh sweep up the curling leaves of drought
let the waters of life cover the ashes of our grief
Oh bring fourth our children from darkness
and let light rejoice in them once more.

Best to remember all that is given unto us
to hold sacred what is above us
and pay homage to that which brought us forth from darkness.

We are far from saved in this new age
In Fire and flood tested
Look neither to the left nor the right
We must plunge of our self's straight
and bold into the fight.

And pray that we are left with just a little light.
That we may know his love
though the coming night.

That our bowls are full we give thanks
That our children sleep soundly we give thanks
That we can repair our leaking roofs we give thanks.

That you are unseen yet always with us
we give thanks.
That Thailand does not weep
this day we give thanks.

That we are permitted to thank you, we give thanks.
That we have before us a world in need of saving
we give thanks
and ask for strength and courage

And time in which to repent.

What is to come may well finish us. yet re-tune us to his grace
The time to come may prosper us yet damn us in his eyes.

Look neither to the left nor to the right
and be not mistaken this is not theirs
but your war to fight.

Pray my brothers pray all though the coming night.
And "remember what you can of the light."

If we want to save the world we were given
Look to Thailand in her great need
See the hands that gathered to gather up her sorrow
to bring her once more to a morning
Both deeply mysterious and filled with delights.
DKE

Yes a brave and dedicated diver lost his life that these children might be saved. He gave up his life just for the possibility that they might be saved.

"Sacrifice alone has the power to help this world."

How close was it?
Immediately after the last ambulance departed for the hospital Our intrepid drivers ventured back in to the cave in order to retrieve the vast amounts of equipment this rescue required. So some 90 divers and rescue workers began the work of reclamation.

As the first man touch their furthest reach the main pump gave out and surrendered to the pouring rain that to had awaited the boys departure.

First the third cave that had given the boys refuge flooded at an extremely dangerous pace. As they beat a hasty retreat the second cave flooded ahead of their withdrawal.

The workers without diving gear were much closer to the entrance and all made it to safety as the first cave flooded the divers began to emerge.As the boys had been driven deeper into the cave the drivers had been driven from it.

In the end the cave claimed hundreds of tanks, pumps, piping and stored gear.
In the end the cave made a way for over hundred good men to go home.

an interesting bit of information: Before the coach was a coach he trained as a monk. Before the boys were delivered the parents got together to write him a letter. They wanted him to know that no one was mad at him and they thanked him for taking care of their children. They wanted him to keep warm and eat for strength.

Two of the boys are being treated for pneumonia and are expected to make a rapid and complete recovery. the rest are doing quite well. Everyone is waiting on blood test to allow the reunion to unfold.

One misstep, one hesitation, one wasted hour, one faulty decision and ...

Give thanks

Thailand was spared much this day while the world trembled at the thought of of failure.

So glad that they have gotten all the boys out. W00t!

So far, a bit over $100,000 [3.5 million baht] has been collected in charitable donations for the deceased diver's family. Not a lot of money in the US, but a large amount in Thailand.

Just another nice thing that has happened.

Must you drone on so? LOL

I think the whole world knows we dodged a bullet,

we dodged a bullet save one.

Sacrifice alone has the power to save this world.

Give thanks that his sacrifice was excepted.
That his life achieved his proper end

"No man has any greater love than this.
That he should lay down his life for his brothers.

This is the real currency of life
and he spent his extremely well.