U.S. Honors Belgian Nurse for Valor in World War II (Angel of Bastogne finally located)

BRUSSELS (AP) — A Belgian nurse who saved the lives of hundreds of American soldiers during the Battle of the Bulge at the end of World War II was given an American award for valor on Monday.

The nurse, Augusta Chiwy, who is 93, received the Civilian Award for Humanitarian Service medal from the American ambassador, Howard Gutman, in a ceremony at the military museum in Brussels.

“She helped, she helped and she helped,” Mr. Gutman said. He explained the long delay — 67 years — in presenting the award to Ms. Chiwy, saying it had been assumed that she was killed when a bomb destroyed the hospital where she worked.

More than 80,000 American soldiers were killed, captured or wounded during the battle.

Ms. Chiwy had volunteered to work in an aid station in Bastogne, where thousands of wounded and dying American soldiers were being treated by a single doctor in December 1944 and January 1945.

Ms. Chiwy combed the battlefields, often coming under enemy fire, to find the wounded in the deep snow, Mr. Gutman said.

“What I did was very normal,” Ms. Chiwy said at the ceremony. “I would have done it for anyone. We are all children of God.”

I remain a person who is not convinced that God always intercedes in our daily lives.

Interesting statement. It made me reflect.

I guess it seems to me that being infinite, there's no way God can't be involved in every aspect of every life.

So as far as intercession goes, the hard part for me is that sometimes the answer is no.

Faith, therefore, means believing that whatever the answer is, it's for the best - and then acting on it by continuing to do what you can.

After all, isn't that what this nurse did? Immersed in the essence of the horror of war, where all around her, in answer to screams of prayers, God was saying "no" - she rolled up her sleeves and went to work, with faith that somehow all was well.

I remain a person who is not convinced that God always intercedes in our daily lives.

Interesting statement. It made me reflect. I'm glad.

My comments are merely my thoughts on this. I'm not trying to make some major overall point, even if it does sound like it. What I'll say here does reflect my views, but it's for conversation's sake.

I guess it seems to me that being infinite, there's no way God can't be involved in every aspect of every life.

Being infinite, it is possible for God to involve Himself to the degree He wants to. That's the kicker for me. How much does He think it is necessary for Him to touch on every aspect of our lives. He wants us to have free will. He wants the effects of sin to be recognized. He needs to let sin play out, so that those effects are realized. So it's my take that while God can affect everything in our lives if He wants, I'm not convinced that He always does.

I don't have a problem with your view, as far as salvation goes, but His intervention must allow for free will to play out, so His overall will can be done. Is sin the scourge that He charged it with being? The universe needs to know.

So as far as intercession goes, the hard part for me is that sometimes the answer is no. Exactly. I don't think that's hard though. If you mean that it's hard to accept, I understand and agree. As a concept though, I think it is reasoned in the overall scheme of things. It sure is unpleasent at times. Been there, done that. ;^)

Is war evil? In some ways undoubtedly. In other ways, participants in war can be righteous. In still other ways it reflects sin and it's ultimate conclusion. And yet here we are presented with a human who chose to commune with God, on behalf of man, in the midst of the realization of evil, and thereby proved beyond a doubt that God was there. He did not withdraw his presence from those men. He watched over them, and sent His messenger to help them. I'm saying that, even allowing for the fact that she may not have felt she was acting as God's ombudsman at the time. She may have too. Regardless, she was an agent of God in that she was the vehicle for rescue beyond all hope. God has the ability to enlist our efforts to do His will. He could not do it against her will, but she was at the very least a good person and willing to do what she was moved to do.

Faith, therefore, means believing that whatever the answer is, it's for the best - and then acting on it by continuing to do what you can. I agree. It's an important concept. I do think our burden to constantly evaluate what is going on, and whether it is God's will or not, is major. And I think we all too often think that what we wanted to do all along, must certainly be God's will.

After all, isn't that what this nurse did? Immersed in the essence of the horror of war, where all around her, in answer to screams of prayers, God was saying "no" - she rolled up her sleeves and went to work, with faith that somehow all was well. I do not buy into the idea that God is realized in us. (not something I think you implied) That blanket concept leads to all sorts of problems. I do however believe that man can reflect God, and at times become incredibly angel-like, if not outright God-like.

The war records of Private First Class Desmond Thomas Doss, Sergeant York, and Audie Leon Murphy leave no doubt in my mind, that God does intervene at times when there is no other hope. It's almost impossible for me to think that these men could have prevailed, without that intervention.

This nurse is another such instance.

Thanks for the comments.

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