Missionary death in Guatemala

[Calm]

Not much info yet on her death, but this article provides the most plus additional general information:

http://idahonews.com/news/local/mormon-missionary-from-idaho-dies-after-electrocution-in-mexico

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865686235/Mormon-missionary-electrocuted-by-live-wire-in-Guatemala.html

 

[JAHS]

Facebook photo.

[Robert F. Smith]

4 hours ago, JAHS said:

Facebook photo.

Sister Heidi Andrea Ortega Huber.

[Guest]

18 hours ago, Calm said:

Not much info yet on her death, but this article provides the most plus additional general information:

http://idahonews.com/news/local/mormon-missionary-from-idaho-dies-after-electrocution-in-mexico

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865686235/Mormon-missionary-electrocuted-by-live-wire-in-Guatemala.html

 

My mind can barely grasp the horror of saying goodbye to a child, for such a happy event, and then losing that child, to an accident like this. 

[Jeanne]

What a beautiful girl.  Always saddened by things like this.  No matter..wishing her family much love and comfort.

[Guest]

In have had many jobs in my lifetime, Army...served aboard a medivac helicopter, where we served military and civilian support. In this job, I saw many injuries where people were seriously injured via, electrocution and even hit by lightening. I worked in the the electrical trade before the Army and after I got out went back into it. One Saturday, I was asked if I could work the following day. My employer (who was also a Minister) knew Iwhen he hired me that I don't work on Sunday's. Anyway, a foreman on the job I was working on asked if I could, because the job was lagging behind schedule. I told him that I would come in at 4:00AM, but I had to leave at 11:00AM, for Church (we met at 1:00PM, at that time. We agreed, at 11:00, I left and brought the guy working with me up to speed as to what needed to be done. So, I left at 11:00 and he was dead at 11:30, I received the phone call just before leaving for Church. There were many times working as an  Electrician, where I was electrocuted while seeking to correct bad wiring, the last time almost killed me.

I then went to work for the City of Atlanta as an Electrical Inspector, I investigated a number of death due to incorrect wiring. Then in Law Enforcement, would get calls where it turned out to be deaths due to electrocution. During this time, I taught Electrical Code and Mathmatics at a local College (for 25 years) two nights a week, where I would hear many more stories, so of my own investigations, since my students, did not know. 

I say all of this because, I used to show a 1 hour film at the beginning of each quarter about electrical safety and instillation. In the flim it had a segment on countries in South America, where thieves would steal electricity for poor people. They did not do for a noble cause, they would charge for it, and the wiring methods were very unsafe and dangerous. So many of our missionaries are housed in very dangerous housing in many areas of the world where there is little in the way of inspections, to insure structure and power are safe, except for the rich. Once I was taking the missionaries on Splits in (what was then) West Germany. Their apartment was carved out of a section of a building that was built in 1490...yes two years before "Christopher sailed the ocean blue". It was a wreak! When I returned home from the Army, if the missionaries in my area were living in a very old house or building, I would volunteer to inspect and repair the electrical problems. 

It is not intentional, the Church rents in good faith places they believe to be safe enough. But depending on the country and the poverty of these countries, this can be a daunting task. This is why in the United States and other industrial Nations, you can have earthquakes and floods, where 10-20 might be killed, and in other Nations...same event 1,000's are killed. I have noticed over the last 20 years, missionary apartments and dwelling are much better. But I can get you that many here lived in some real dumps while on their missions. 

[strappinglad]

I recall one place we stayed  where there was an electric heater element attached to the shower head to give hot water. I figured the whole thing was a bit dicey so just took cold showers. Bill is so right, electrical connections in many countries are ' ugly '.

[Thinking]

I hope she wasn't shocked by one of those electric shower heads. I served in Peru in the 80's and some of our shower heads actually plugged into the wall. I got zapped a few times when I got too close.