Sichuan Earthquake

Recently, Asia has had its spate of bad luck with two natural disasters almost occuring consecutively. It is really sad to read or hear about the victims and survivors from the Myanmar Cyclone and the Sichuan Earthquake, so now I have basically stopped reading the newspaper on these two events. I would even change the channel if the news on TV starts to report on these two events.

All the updates I get are through other people's conversations. The reason why I do not follow the news about these two natural disasters is not because I do not care but really because the stories of these victims and survivors are all so heart wrenching.

Stories how a pregnant lady from the Sichuan Earthquake was rescued after 170 hours and delivered the baby as soon as she was rescued or the story about a Chinese lady who left her baby at home to travel to Sichuan so that she can help to feed the countless orphaned babies in Sichuan or even another story of the discovery of kindergarden children still with crayons in their hands. Just relaying stories like these around the dinner table is enough to make me imagine the pictures vividly and cause me to wrench in pain. Maybe it is because I am still breastfeeding and all the pregnancy hormones have not cleared but really, these stories are enough to make me cry.

The stories surrounding little children are the worst to bear. I think being a mother just makes you more vulnerable. In each situation, I imagine "what if it was C" and immediately, I cannot bear it. I would rather die than have to see C go through what these Sichuan children went through. Everyday, we worry about things or accidents that could happen to our children. You can start to drive extra careful or not go on holidays to disaster prone areas or even check and re-check the locks on your doors but seriously, you can never never fully truly protect your little ones.

So parents then have to go crazy worrying about your children. Well, reading Stormie Ormartian's book about praying for your children, she says that we have to trust God to take care of our children. Yes, as human beings, we can never guard our children 24 hours a day but God can. He can protect our children when we are not able to. So, we ought to start praying and trusting God that He could AND would protect our children because they are His creation and children too. He loves them as much as we do or maybe even more than we do.

Of course, knowing the truth and acting upon it is two separate things. It is hard to let go of your possesions to God, how much harder is it then to let go of your children to God? It is definitely a challenge for me in this area as I am a natural worrier. If RH does not call to let me know that he will be home late, I would be frantic, trying to call him upteen times just to make sure he is ok. I might even drive to his company in the middle of the night just to find him and see for myself. But each time I panic, I have to consiously remind myself that God is in control and He loves me and C (and RH).

Thank you Father for Your love and faithfulness so that we can trust You always always.

Psalm 103:13

13 As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him;