Open Your Eyes

Open your eyes so you can see through the eyes of an Ironworker.  It is the day after 9/11/01; our cleanup began intensely and without rest.  The place that some died to build is the same place we find people killed.  We have to survive!  There is a chance someone is alive, the sky is black and the debris makes it hard to see my partner who is right beside me.   There are scaffolds dangling overhead, holes in the buildings, the water is to my knees and it is hard to breath.  The surrounding buildings are unstable, it is raining, and I am landing loads of steel on the trucks to be hauled out.  It was our job to interpret what pieces of steel could be moved without causing further hardship for the police and firefighters as they conducted rescue and recovery missions.

Open your eyes, so you can see through the eyes of an Ironworker.  Ironworkers who were tired cold and would not give up.  The only chance these workers felt they had was to grit their teeth and bear it.  God bless the Ironworkers of Local 40 who risked their lives in our countries most desperate time of need.  Open your eyes so you can see through the eyes of an Ironworker the effects of 9/11/01 the day after.

God Bless,

(Ironworkers Local 40)

Tommy Harris Jr.

Kendall Harris

Charlie Lyons

Claude Sheppard.

“Through the eyes…III”

When I was experiencing 9/11 all I could focus on was the tragedy of it all. I asked, why would God allow this to happen? Thankfully being a believer in the living God Jesus Christ, he has given me an answer. Although you and I may never be able to answer this question, we can rest assured that God does everything for a reason, and a purpose. Just as a child does not understand the purpose or reasoning behind their parents actions, so is our relationship with God. I am reminded of a story In the Bible when Jesus allowed his friend Lazarus to die by not coming right away when he heard that he was gravely ill. He did this to show the power of God by raising Lazarus from the dead.

Hallelujah! Yes, 9/11/01 was a great tragedy, but I say to you here and now it opened us up to a great triumph. Human beings were collectively focused on the greater good for a moment in time. I cannot remember at any point in my life that I felt an outpouring of love and consideration from one another, everywhere I went. That must be the way God intended us to live life. Laboring, in triumph through the good and bad of whatever life brings with consideration and love for one another, that’s power! It is a shame that it took something so bad to bring out something so good in all of us. So, did we listen to God when he got our attention with the events of 9/11/01? Did we learn anything that we can put to action in our lives? Or will we slowly sink back in to the me first, me only mentality that brought 9/11/01 into history.

As we settle into our normal lives that will never be the same because of 9/11/01 I ask you do what you can, no matter how small it may seem. Be considerate to one another because you can make a difference and also, this is just a reminder, God is watching you.

   ~Kendall Harris

   NY Iron workers, Local 40