Police try to defuse bomb 'strapped to teenage girl' in Sydney

A teenage girl is at the centre of an unfolding drama in one of Sydney’s wealthiest suburbs after she was found by police in her home with a bomb strapped around her neck.

Many in Sydney and around the world were shocked by the above scenario. What could be more frightening than this ordeal! The fact that the so called bomb was later found not to be an explosive device is of course irrelevant to the experience the teenage girl endured.

I found myself asking the question, 'Who would do such a thing?' The whole incident moved me greatly. We live in a world that is seemingly not getting any better but worse. The night of the the terrible drama I had the privilege of being in a  prayer meeting where we cried out to God to protect Madeleine Pulver. Praise God she emerged unscathed physically. One could ask what good could come out of such an incident. Actually I was really encouraged when the following article and picture appeared in the Sydney Morning Herald.

"I'm OK, thank you," she told the media outside the Burrawong Avenue house.

Her father, Bill Pulver, spoke to journalists a little earlier about how it felt to spend the night with his family following Wednesday's dramatic events. "It was beautiful," he said. "You know, the kids were a little tender. Ended up all six mattresses in one room, but it was nice, it was very nice."

As a father of similar aged young people I am thrilled to hear that the Pulver family are emerging in a wonderful way from this drama. Reading particular the comments of the father renewed a measure of hope!

I will continue to pray that God will impact the Pulver family and that as a city we are protected from the kinds of attacks we saw this week.

Much love
Peter