CAA: Christian Anime Alliance

You can read the news article by clicking here. The woman mentioned in the article, Cynthia Stokes, is my younger sister.

Quick summary: while her friend's child was over at my sister's house playing with her children, the little girl somehow got outside and was struck and killed by the guy who had come to clean the carpet.

I have been unable to contact my sister yet. My parents tell me she is an emotional wreck, and that friends are helping to take care of her four kids. My stepmother (my sister's mother) is about catch a flight down there to help take over housework and childcare duties.

Obviously, Cindy, her friend, and both of their families are in need of your prayers right now. God bless.

Goodness! Was it an accident? I hope it was. Regardless, I can understand the devastation.

I'll provide prayer immediately.

Good Lord,

Please help heal everybody involved and with anything else they need.

In Jesus name we pray,
amen.

Alexander wrote:Goodness! Was it an accident? I hope it was. Regardless, I can understand the devastation.

I'll provide prayer immediately.

Thank you, and SailorDove, too.

The little girl was not yet three years old. I guess she was just too small to see, when the carpet guy backed the van up. I'm sure you've seen the kind of vehicle. It's generally a full-sized van with the cargo space filled with carpet cleaning equipment, so visibility isn't good.

Oh my gosh o.o That's... pretty messed up.

Definitely in my prayers. Any word on how the driver of the van is?

Mr. SmartyPants wrote:Oh my gosh o.o That's... pretty messed up.

Definitely in my prayers. Any word on how the driver of the van is?

I just spoke with my sister a little while ago. She seems to only barely be holding it together even now. She mentioned the driver was very distraught, basically a wreck. She said the TV news had him on momentarily later in the day, and he didn't appear to be any better. He needs your prayers as well.

Fortunately for my sister's and her friend's families, they attend church together in a very supportive congregation. The pastors and fellow members have been around frequently, and various church members are currently taking care of her four kids and her friend's surviving two (and went to retrieve the older children from school after the accident, one of those many everyday occurrences that might have gone undone if not for a supportive church family.

Wow. I'm absolutely praying.

praying.

It is good to see strong support of the church body here. These two families will have a lot of grief to work through, and I think it will go best if they work through it together. Although I don't think anyone could reasonably find fault here, the seeds of forgiveness still need to be sown. Praying.

Will be praying for your sis....I don't know if I could handle it if I were in her situation either....

How horrible! I am definitely praying for your little sister, her friend, their families and the Carpet cleaning guy. I can't imagine how awful all of them must be feeling!

Thanks to everyone for their prayers and thoughts.

A quick update for all who prayed. My family has been spending Christmas with my sister and her family, our parents and my little brother. I won't say she's fine, because I'm sure that's a way down the road, but she is definitely being lifted up by the Lord's arms. She's had a few shaky moments, but she's holding up.

She has remained in contact with her friend, and with the van driver. Her friend is equally strong in the faith, but the driver had no spiritual home or beliefs to support him, and I hope you can keep him added to your prayers.

The Lord can create good within any trial, and my sister has experienced this directly, now. A short while after the accident, a woman knocked on her door, and explained that the news story had saved her life. It seems that a few months before, someone else's child had drowned in her pool. She had been nearing suicide when she saw my sister's story on the news. By seeing a similar story in third person, she finally recognized that it had indeed been an accident, and she should stop punishing herself. She found my sister specifically to come and tell her the same, and make sure she wasn't going the same direction.

That's really cool, albeit part of a depressing situation.