A friend of mine recently visited a hospital for charity. The focus of the visit was the childrens' ward. There, she handed out teddy bears to sick children, some of whom were terminally ill. These kids were between 6 and 9 years old. They were suffering from a wide range of diseases - those who were dying, had various forms of cancer.
God gives and God takes. That's the way we live this life, and its something that we have to understand. But what strikes me as being very sad is that these kids don't know that they are dying. Most are too young to even appreciate the concept. Whether this is a blessing or a curse, i do not know. But i can imagine looking into the eyes of their parents - they very well know their children will not be with them much longer. Its one thing to lose your child suddenly: there is often very little time to contemplate the sudden loss. But to see it coming from months if not years away... the agony and emotional suffering these parents are going through is probably something that we wouldn't want to wish on our worst enemies.
Spare a moment on Christmas eve to pause and give a prayer for these innocent souls. Then, spare another for their parents and family. For some, it isn't going to be a Merry Christmas.
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