Touching story about the chaplains of ATL

wbarnhill

wbarnhill

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Didn't want this to be in SZ because it is a) aviation related (somewhat!), and b) non-political and c) an uplifting story. Enjoy!


http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=112679029

By some definitions, Cook has the largest church in the country. As the full-time chaplain of Atlanta's international airport, his flock includes the 56,000 employees and a quarter of a million travelers who pass through each day. The United Methodist minister models his ministry on the parable of the good Samaritan — a stranger who helps a traveler in crisis and practices kindness, often without mentioning religion. Cook says he gets a lot of practice in these days of inflexible airline rules. He often pays a traveler's $150 change fee from his chaplain's budget or his own wallet. And sometimes he manages to bend the rules.
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the kind of pilot who respects the fact that everyone around them doesnt want to hear about airplanes all day long every day forever, unless of course they are talking with known like minded pilots. the kind of pilot who realizes you can still do nice things for people without bringing up your personal motivation for doing nice things. i like those kinds of pilots.
 
tonycondon said:
the kind of pilot who respects the fact that everyone around them doesnt want to hear about airplanes all day long every day forever, unless of course they are talking with known like minded pilots. the kind of pilot who realizes you can still do nice things for people without bringing up your personal motivation for doing nice things. i like those kinds of pilots.
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Then he's not a "chaplain," but just another good person.
 
is that because non-pilots are unworthy or because the big pilot in the sky has decided that just being nice is not good enough?
 
I'm sorry, we cannot believe any story on the librul, communist, socialist, atheist propaganda NPR....



...OOPS, did I just SZ this? :tongue:
 
dmccormack said:
Then he's not a "chaplain," but just another good person.
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That might be right in the strictest sense of the word.
But, go down to ATL and try to get a job "just being a good person to those who need help". That next feeling you would have would the doorknob hitting your backside.

Some time ago I had a chance to spend a lot of time with the pastor of our church in a non-church setting (I was helping him get his 1962 Chevy truck running again). What struck me most was that he really was a very ordinary guy who was an extraordinarily "good person" as you put it. If I could, I'd love to have this "chaplain's" job at ATL. I see a lot of distressed looking people wandering about there. About all I can do is help the lost/confused looking ones with directions.
 
Keith Lane said:
I see a lot of distressed looking people wandering about there. About all I can do is help the lost/confused looking ones with directions.
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Same at ORD. I have escorted more than a few to the right terminal. Some of them end up wandering in the remote parking lot and cannot speak enough English to read the signs to get to the international terminal.

I travel to a lot of international terminals and can understand the feeling of helplessness. Luckily many times there is English signage that helps me avoid getting lost.
 
smigaldi said:
Same at ORD. I have escorted more than a few to the right terminal. Some of them end up wandering in the remote parking lot and cannot speak enough English to read the signs to get to the international terminal.

I travel to a lot of international terminals and can understand the feeling of helplessness. Luckily many times there is English signage that helps me avoid getting lost.
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And JFK and IAD and DeeEffDubua.

Distress doesn't even start to describe it.

I've had to help a number, including one lady who was in my seat on a flight to Dulles (IAD) when she was supposed to be going to Dallas (DFW). Oops.

Then there was the time at CDG...... :hairraise:

I'm with you on the last paragraph. Some airports the Engrish signs are few and far between.
 
wsuffa said:
Then there was the time at CDG...... :hairraise:
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My first trip through CDG I landed from a domestic AF flight and needed to get to a AA tansatlantic flight. I had no clue where to go, but knew the airport was big. After deplaning I looked around and could not intuitively figure it out. But there was a sign that said 'l'information' and there was a man in uniform standing under it.

I walked up and asked where I might find the American Airlines terminals, he looked at me and in perfect snobby French said "How would I know?"

I loved it!! It was a classic moment.

Since I had a couple of hours to kill I sort of knew where to head and started off that way. I eventually saw three AA FAs and followed them.
 
mikea said:
I'm sorry, we cannot believe any story on the librul, communist, socialist, atheist propaganda NPR....



...OOPS, did I just SZ this? :tongue:
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I have no clue what that statement has to do with this story...other than maybe you question whether or not the facts are correct...that is always a valid question to ponder when it comes to any news source. Although...being an uplifting story, I really don't care to questions 'cause I see no purpose in it.
 
alaskaflyer said:
Am I the only one who saw "touching story about chaplains" and thought something else entirely? B) :eek:
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tsk...tsk...:fingerwag:I thought of nothing but a nice story about chaplins...although, consider the source...lol...coming from someone who aspires to become a disaster response chaplain someday.:D
 
bockwoman3 said:
I have no clue what that statement has to do with this story...other than maybe you question whether or not the facts are correct...that is always a valid question to ponder when it comes to any news source. Although...being an uplifting story, I really don't care to questions 'cause I see no purpose in it.
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C'Mon, Sharon, we don't have a tonque in cheek smiley. Tonque out of cheek: :raspberry: :smilewinkgrin:
 
sharon - as you know, sometimes pilots just can't shut up about airplanes... :)
 
tonycondon said:
sharon - as you know, sometimes pilots just can't shut up about airplanes... :)
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...and ministers have to bite their tongues and approach subjects with a touch of sensitivity when speaking about "religion" or God as to decrease the changes of "turning people off" to religious beliefs rather than encourage them towards such. Hope that's understandable...lol
 
bockwoman3 said:
...and ministers have to bite their tongues and approach subjects with a touch of sensitivity when speaking about "religion" or God as to decrease the changes of "turning people off" to religious beliefs rather than encourage them towards such. Hope that's understandable...lol
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Made sense to me. Wonder what that means...
 
If my comment was meant to be editorial, it was only that in today's world that type of headline is all too common :(

Once you get past William's title :ihih: it is a great story indeed!
 
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