Father's Day, Black Boxes and Funny Feet

It’s Father’s Day today in our part of the world.

The world has also just heard that the ‘black box’ of the Egypt Air aircraft that recently crashed into the Mediteranean Sea, has been recovered.

So with these two things in mind, it is a good time to be reminded of the impact of fathers.

Black Boxes

You see, the inventer of the black box was the brother of a very special friend of ours, and their father had a vital part to play in both their lives.  

The inventor was David Warren.  He died in 2010 age 85.  He was an Australian Scientist.

David Warren with a prototype of the black box

source - Wikipedia

A while back his daughter gave an interview about her dad to the ABC and the article included this story:

David's father died in a plane crash in 1934. 

An Anglican missionary, he was travelling between Tasmania and Victoria by plane when it crashed into Bass Strait.

One of the last presents he gave his 8 year old son was a crystal radio.

The crystal set and a daydream many years later would help spur David Warren's idea for a black box.

Little did his Dad know that a kind, thoughtful and practical gift to his son to encourage his creativity and stretch his mind, would be the catalyst for a device that would help make air travel safer for millions of air-travellers every day.

Challies.com recently posted a link in his A-la-Carte to a YouTube video about the black box. Here it is.  At about the 1.03 minute mark you will see a document authored by ‘D  Warren’ - that is the man we are talking about.

And here is another article that gives some more background to the invention, and another short documentary video:

and an interview with David in 1999.

But even though David’s father didn’t live to see his son become famous, his legacy through the invention, lives on.

I can only think that this father must have prayed much for his children, for not only did his son come to be active in youth ministry, lead Bible Studies and invent a world changing device, but this same father had a daughter who went on to impact hundreds of lives (and thousands indirectly) in at least 26 countries around the world. 

Funny Feet

That daughter, Grace became one of the first Australian female surgeons and dedicated her life to relieving the pain and suffering of Leprosy Patients.  She served with the Leprosy Mission and travelled the world surgically rectifying ‘funny feet’ —as she calls them—  and giving people their lives back.  She also worked on hands. Her skills with leprosy flowed over to help many patients with problems resulting from Diabetes.  My husband’s hand (badly damaged when a passenger in a car crash) has virtually full function due to her intervention.  There is a reason she is often called ‘Amazing Grace’.

She gave so many of the poorest people in our world, who were shamed and outcast due to leprosy, the restoration of their honour and worth as well as the ability to once again care for themselves and earn a living.

She has made sure to leave her knowledge for the world in her medical textbook ‘The Care of Neuropathic Limbs”.  She was granted Fellowships with the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons and the Royal College in England who also elected her a Hunterian Professor in 1987.  

She told her story in her book ‘Doctor Number 49 and various other articles in magazines and chapters in books have been written about her, including in the Australian Book of Heroism.

Though her earthly father died when she was only 5 years old, it is because of talent inherited from her father and the skill given and enabled by her heavenly Father that she attributes her success.  In an interview with Sydney University Alumni magazine she said:

“I was never a good student,” she says of her school and university days. “But I was practical, good with my hands. That was something I inherited from my father, who had a great aptitude for everything mechanical.”……. 

“It is a gift given to me by God, and dedicated to his service, he gives me the skill”

Interestingly it was because her mum was a widow that she was given special consideration for acceptance into University.  Through the loss of her earthly father in the first civil avaition disaster in Australia, God enabled a great gain to bless many around the world with the very practical love of her Heavenly Father.

Both Grace and David have received honours in the “Order of Australia" awards.  I’m sure there can’t be too many siblings to have both received such awards!

Both she and her brother also both have entries in the Encyclopaedia of Australian Science.

Never underestimate the impact a father can have on his children 

- how you awaken and direct your children’s interests stimulating their God-given talents

- how your prayers for your children are important

- how your example will be impacting even after you are gone

But most of all, never forget that above all, you need to entrust your kids into the hands of their Heavenly Father, and teach them that their relationship with their Heavenly Father is of far greater importance than even with their earthly father - you want them to be all that their Heavenly Father wants them to be, not just who you want them to be.  In His hands, they can impact untold lives in this world, and impact untold lives for eternity too!