Arandis, Namibia: 2007-04-15

Wednesday, April 18, 2007

News from Rehoboth

18 April 2007

I had received an email a few days ago from Ricky at Hope's Promise informing me that Maderyna and her mother had returned. Unfortunately, that is all the email said. After a couple unsuccessful attempts, I was finally able to get in touch with Sylvia today to learn more.

Sylvia said that Maderyna is doing fine and is planning on keeping her baby and living on the farm with her mother. I asked about that situation, and about her mother in particular, and Sylvia said that this was the best she has seen Maderyna's mother in a long time. She thought that maybe this time she will be able to keep things going in a positive direction for herself and provide the help and support that Maderyna will be needing. Sylvia sat down with both of them to try to get a sense of what their game plan was, or how they would do this...or that, and she seemed satisfied that Maderyna has thought things out and that they at least have a plan. The bottom line is that if she chooses to keep the baby, as she is planning on, she needs to start taking control of her life.

Her baby is due May 5th. She will be turning 16 on May 18th.

While I have concerns about all that has gone on and all that could happen in the future, I need to realize that it is not in my hands to control. All anyone can do is pray that God watches over her and her new baby. Sylvia leaves on her sabbatical at the end of May and will be checking on Maderyna and the baby a couple of times before she leaves. After that, I'm not sure what will happen and what Maderyna's relationship with Hope's Promise will be. I believe "the farm" where she will be living is outside of Rehoboth so I am not sure how often she would have the opportunity to come to Hope's Promise.

So the story continues...

posted by Don @ 12:24 PM 2 comments

Tuesday, April 17, 2007

Virginia Tech

17 April 2007

I can't begin to fathom being one of the many who awoke today still trapped within a nightmare. Although I do not personally know anybody whose lives were forever altered by yesterday's tragedy at Virginia Tech, I am still affected. It is my world that this happened in; the world I currently live in; the world my children live in; the world we all live in.

What does it all mean?

I know I lack an understanding to many things that happen in this world. Many times all I see and feel are disorder. But I need to believe that, to the One in who's world I live, there is order. I know I need to continue trusting in that. Like many of the parents of those who were killed at Virginia Tech, I am a stranger to the feeling of losing a child through tragedy, let alone one that is senseless. But I know He is not.

So that their lives will not be in vain, perhaps their brevity and sudden loss can be the reminder to all of us who remain here, trying to make sense of this world, that we really are not in control of our lives as much as we might think; that our lives, and the lives of those we love the most, can be taken from us or altered at the blink of His eye.

The fact is, what parent is ever prepared to relinquish the care of the children entrusted to us back to the One who entrusted them to us? We are blessed with children not for an indefinate period of time, but for an unknown period of time. Yet, as parents, what happened yesterday remains and will always be unspeakable. In our way of thinking, our children aren't suppose to die before us; let alone in such a violent way.

I pray for those whose lives have been affected by this tragedy; for the families and friends of the students and faculty of Virginia Tech who were called home yesterday. As for the misguided soul responsible, I know the Christian thing for me to do is to pray for him also; though I've no idea what I will direct these prayers towards. From the accounts beginning to surface, he was deeply disturbed, emotionally troubled, alone and without friends. I can't imagine what his family is going through. How will they cope with not only their grief for losing a son, but also knowing that their son was responsible for the deaths of others?

In memory of those lives lost and shattered at Virginia Tech

posted by Don @ 11:01 AM 0 comments

About Me

Name:Don (& Chandre)
Home:Nashua, NH (Arandis, Namibia)