Reach

At Easter, Gaza Baptist Church leader Shady Al-Najjar described those sheltered in the church’s remnants as “too tired to suffer,” living “very difficult” and “useless” days.

Al-Najjar has since fled to Egypt, and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have set up shop in what remains of the church compound damaged in the war, former church pastor Hanna Massad told Baptist Press on May 8.

Ecclesiastes 11:5

"As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the body is formed in a mother’s womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things."

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Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Philippians 1:1-11

I remember the year NBA stars Michael Jordan and Earvin "Magic" Johnson were vying for the Most Valuable Player award. That year it was incredibly close, and the final tally resulted in Johnson's winning the award by the narrowest of margins. The choice boiled down to an understanding of the definition of "valuable" as opposed to the definition of "outstanding."

Thousands of residents in four neighbourhoods in the southern end of Fort McMurray were ordered out Tuesday as a wildfire threatened the Alberta city, bringing back memories of a devastating fire eight years earlier. 

The Rural Municipality of Wood Buffalo directed residents in Beacon Hill, Abasand, Prairie Creek and Grayling Terrace needed to leave by late afternoon.

At 2:10 pm today, the MD of Greenview downgraded its Evacuation Order due to wildfire.

The evacuation order has been cancelled for the North Goodwin area, in the MD of Greenview.

Everyone returning home will remain on 2-hour Evacuation Alert in case the situation deteriorates.

Everyone in the North Goodwin area west of Range Road 21, between Township Road 734 and Township Road 741 may now return home. Everyone else within the MD of Greenview should stay prepared for potential evacuations on short notice due to wildfires this hazard season.

At approximately 1 a.m. Tuesday, May 14, 2024, the Peace River Fire Department and Weberville Fire Department responded to a call of a residential fire in the north end of town.

Fire Chief Tim Harris also sent a mutual aid request to Northern Sunrise County for fire services, and St. Isidore Fire Department provided a fire engine and crew.

Fifteen firefighters attended the scene, working over the next four to five hours to extinguish the flames and prevent the fire from spreading beyond the three impacted homes.

Grande Prairie City Council has directed administration to proceed with the redesign and reinstallation of three service club signs to be placed at the new city boundaries. The signs will be funded through the Transportation Department’s operating budget.

This decision aligns with Council's strategic plan to build an inclusive and caring community by enhancing the visibility and recognition of the service organizations that actively contribute to the City's social fabric.

Canola producers will want to monitor crop emergence closely for any signs of flea beetle damage. 

The insect overwinters as an adult and wakes up hungry, with activity increasing as the temperature warms up. 

Canola Council of Canada Agronomist Keith Gabert says the insects can cause a lot of damage in a short period of time, which is why scouting the crop on a regular basis is so important.

The key is to stay ahead of the insect by getting a good emergence and stand establishment with five to eight plants per square foot up and growing vigorously.

As wildfires rage in British Columbia, the family of a nine-year-old boy who died last summer is trying to protect people from poor air quality due to smoke this year.  

Amber Vigh says it's "scary" to know the wildfire season is once again in full swing and she is feeling "probably a little bit of PTSD." 

But she's hoping that Carter's Project, a partnership between the family and the BC Lung Foundation, will help make a difference.

A wildfire raging through Fort Nelson has surged in size, prompting officials to issue additional mandatory evacuation orders for residents in northeastern British Columbia.

According to the B.C. Wildfire Service, the Fort Nelson fire has ballooned to over 84 square kilometers from its initial size of just under 53 square kilometers as of Monday morning.