Tonight, as the world grieves the brutal death of four Americans killed mercilessly by Pirates, one San Diego resident, Emily Elizabeth Sem of Escondido, is no doubt mourning. Two of the Americans, Scott and Jean Adams, were her parents.
While a patrol car guards Sem’s home to protect from unwelcome intrusions, only God can protect her heart from sadness at the realization that her parents were killed mercilessly by pirates. Only He can remind her that they died a death of dignity—living their passion and serving God.
Today, the Adams from California and another couple from Washington were found shot by Somali pirates off the coast of Eastern Africa. They were on a mission: to share God’s Word. But their mission came to an abrupt halt when pirates who—while usually known for pillage and robbery, albeit brutal—quite possibly didn’t like this mission. The pirates were likely Muslims. The Adams’ yacht, the Quest, was stocked with Bibles.
The Adams and their two friends were retirees who had dedicated the past decade of their lives to bringing Bibles to many parts of the world including Central America, French Polynesia, Fiji, Tahiti and New Zealand.
As New Zealand faces its own recent tragedy – a deadly earthquake – it’s not difficult to imagine New Zealanders grabbing their newly received Bibles to find solace in their sorrow. (Perhaps they will turn to Matthew 24 and reflect on what the increasing number of earthquakes in the world might mean.)
The tragedy is reminiscent of what took place in 2009, when Somalian pirates took British sailors hostage.
Meanwhile, as the Adams’ daughter sheds her tears, wives and children of Navy officers and Marines shed their own as they say goodbye to their spouses or fathers at the Navy Base in San Diego.
Thousands of Marines and Navy Sailors are headed for the same expanding danger zone where the four Americans were fatally shot. How befitting that part of their work will include providing humanitarian aid. And how ironical that the sailboat that shadowed the Adams’ yacht in an attempt to rescue them before it was too late was also San Diego-based.
Some believe that the four Americans were martyred, killed for their faith. Whatever you believe, all this serves as a good reminder that life is but a vapor. If it is spent serving Jesus and others, it is well spent – no matter when it may end. But if it is spent in any other way, on the eternal scale of things, it is wasted.
Janey L. DeMeo M.A.
Copyright © February 2011
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