Justina Pelletier

I’ve been sick for a week, I’m never sick. About the only thing I have been able to do is follow-up Ann Arbor Real Estate leads and stay on top of the story of Justina.

I have hundreds of new friends on Facebook and Twitter, as we rally together to try to get this child home. Getting Justina home is not a Red State, Blue State, Liberal or Conservative issue. She is a human being who is suffering and that is creating an outpour of love across the nation.

One of my new friends put together this video for those of you are just learning of Justina.

Grief

Perhaps because I have lost my son, granddaughter and husband this story has hit me harder. I feel the Pelletier families pain. My children have seen me weeping and asked, “What’s wrong mom, is it dad or Jamie or Lillian? No, I am crying for Justina. I am so close to my children, we don’t go a day without talking. Both girls get homesick if they away a week.

Here is a girl who at 13 and is now 14 who has not lived at home for 14 months. 14 MONTHS!!! She has not seen her friends in 14 MONTHS! If you are a parent does this not break your heart? No hanging out with friends, shopping, using an iPad,not getting any mail, seeing your mom and dad for one hour a week.

It does mine.

Kay Warren, (wife of Pastor Rick Warren) lost their son on April 5th last year. She did a post on Facebook about a week ago which really summed up how they have changed. Well, how anyone changes when a child dies. 45,777 LIKES, 24,085 SHARES, 10,531 COMMENTS, Wow, she hit a chord!

Here is an exert:

Unless you’ve stood by the grave of your child or cradled the urn that holds their ashes, you’re better off keeping your words to some very simple phrases: “I’m so sorry for your loss.” Or “I’m praying for you and your family.” Do your best to avoid the meaningless, catch-all phrase “How are you doing?” This question is almost impossible to answer. If you’re a stranger, it’s none of your business. If you’re a casual acquaintance, it’s excruciating to try to answer honestly, and you leave the sufferer unsure whether to lie to you (I’m ok) to end the conversation or if they should try to haltingly tell you that their right arm was cut off and they don’t know how to go on without it. If you’re a close friend, try telling them instead, “You don’t have to say anything at all; I’m with you in this.”

The truest friends and “helpers” are those who wait for the griever to emerge from the darkness that swallowed them alive without growing afraid, anxious or impatient. They don’t pressure their friend to be the old familiar person they’re used to; they’re willing to accept that things are different, embrace the now-scarred one they love, and are confident that their compassionate, non-demanding presence is the surest expression of God’s mercy to their suffering friend. They’re ok with messy and slow and few answers….and they never say “Move on.”

Change

I wish to God this cup of suffering was gone. But, it is not.

This is why when I got involved in trying to do my part in getting Justina home it is a passion that consumes me.

I am afraid for this child if she doesn’t get the medical help that she so desperately needs, her family will go through this grief that swallows you up.

Pray for Justina and her family. She is not the only one this has happened to, there are thousands of children taken away from their families who are diagnosed with psychiatric, mental problems who are victims of Mitochondrial disease, Lyme disease, Chronic Fatigue disease and other crippling diseases who doctors say is “in their head.”

Finally be patient with me, God is not finished with me yet. Lamentations 3:31-33

For the Lord will not

    cast off forever,

but, though he cause grief, he will have compassion

    according to the abundance of his steadfast love;

for he does not afflict from his heart

    or grieve the children of men.