Thursday, December 11, 2008

Quick sad note.

Remember my friends who wanted to figure out if there was a way to adopt a baby they met while doing humanitarian work in Cambodia? Well a few weeks ago, the baby's birthdad came back to the hospital to claim him, and we all thought "Yay, he'll have his family and this is a good thing." Even if it did mean that the door was closed for my friends, they only wanted the baby's happiness and well being to be provided for. So they sent around an e-mail thanking everyone for their support and relaying that baby "R" was now with his papa and would we all send some good thoughts to them and hope for their health and happiness.

Then, 2 days ago, my friends received some devastating news from a colleague in Cambodia. Baby "R" was dropped off at the hospital (again) and despite their best efforts, he died. It was exactly what we had all feared would happen. The baby died among strangers. My only hope is that he was with someone at the time of his passing, but my friends says she was told he was alone.

I don't know what the family's circumstances are, and I can only imagine how hard life in Cambodia can be for many people, so I am loathe to pass judgement on the father or anyone else in baby "R's" family. But I will say that I think that no matter what we are going through, we have to protect the most vulnerable among us at all costs. My hope is that's what the father was doing by bringing him back to the hospital instead of, say, leaving him in a ditch. The very act of returning him to the hospital means that baby was NOT abandoned, and the fact that 2 families wanted to parent him means he was very much wanted, so there are a lot of broken hearts across the world right now. I am holding the father and family in my thoughts, I am sending that baby's spirit all my love and I am crying right along with my heartbroken friends.

Please keep all the families who are suffering the loss of a child in your thoughts today. Thanks.

4 comments:

Jes said...

That is very devastating news. I can only imagine how your friends are feeling.

-jes

Corinne said...

My sincere thoughts go out to your friends and the father.There is nothing as painful as losing a child..I know! Comfort and support them for a broken heart takes time to heal.

Melanie said...

Hi, it's Melanie from the Yahoo group, I sabella's Mommy and I just stopped by your blog because I haven't seen Noah (well, pics of Noah) since right after he came home. OMG he is the cutest, cutest cutest!!! Obviously thriving!
All your kids are gorgeous, Grace remonds me of Bella who strats her dance classes this week!
I will be in VT in April, April, hope we (the Taylors) run into the Taylors on the street!

Melanie said...

I posted my comment in the wrong place, I am so blog clueless. Just read about your friend and the baby and I, too am so sorry.