Sydney Anglican Nicola Robinson is grieving with the YWAM community in Denver, Colorado after losing two close friends in Sunday's shooting.
Nicola, 20, had been at a Christmas banquet at the Youth With A Mission training centre, shortly before the lone gunman walked in and opened fire on four staff members after being told he could not stay the night.
Nicola phoned her father, the Rev Stuart Robinson of St Paul's Chatswood, from a local hospital on Sunday night to tell him of the tragedy.
She had travelled to the hospital and been in the ward where her two friends, Tiffany Johnson and Philip Crouse, died of their injuries.
The tragedy has come only 12 months after a Korean team member from the same centre drowned on a YWAM mission trip in Mexico.
Nicola had travelled to Denver to visit Tiffany, Philip and other friends she had made last year, when she spent six months in Denver doing YWAM's Discipleship Training School program, and the latter part of the year on the Mexico trip.
Mr Robinson says his daughter is persevering through the shock and grief.
"She's a pretty resilient person and she's got a rock-solid faith but she's also asking the questions one asks " why it's happened and why at this time.
"But she's trusting the Lord through it all."
Space to grieve
Mr Robinson, his wife Jane and their three other children are due to meet Nicola in New York on January 4 for a family holiday.
The family have decided not to meet Nicola earlier in Denver, preferring to give her space to grieve with the YWAM community.
"She'll be able to meet with other YWAM kids and grieve with them," Mr Robinson said.
"We think it's the best thing for us and for her if she works through her grief with her friends there."
Nicola and her friends continue to pray for their two injured colleagues who remain in a local hospital.
One of them - Daniel Griebenow - is critically ill after suffering a bullet wound to the neck.
Mr Robinson hopes many more will be praying in Sydney.
"It would be great if people could pray for the team " because it's the second time in a year this has happened " and for the parents, many of whom aren't Christians."
It is expected that many who knew Tiffany and Philip through YWAM will return to Denver for the memorial service that will be held either today or tomorrow.
Nicola is currently staying with the director of YWAM, Peter Warren and his wife, after the dormitory was evacuated to allow for police investigation.
“There’s no blueprint for this,” said Mr Warren, quoted on the WYAM website.
“You know, we’re just going to be honest, we’re going to pray with one another and cry with one another.
"These kids were like our kids, you know. It’s just such a tragedy, but who knows what’s going on in this young man’s life.”
At present it seems none of the victims knew the gunmen, who is also thought to be linked to a second shooting at Colorado Springs, near New Life Church.
