Thursday, July 26, 2007

The box was stamped "H.R."

"H.R." is an abbreviation for "human remains" and inside the box/coffin was the body of an 8 year old boy being transported home to Dallas after drowning on a family vacation in Mexico. Kind of sobering, huh. This little boy was the brother of one of my nephew's friends. He was running in and around a resort area to meet up with his mother and siblings, tripped, fell and hit his head, landed in a jacuzzi and drowned. Either no one saw him in there or they thought he was just swimming...but he wasn't found until later. So very tragic....How do I know about the box? My sister's friend Judy is a baggage handler for Continental. She was working one evening last week, saw the box (sometimes they arrive in coffins), noticed it was small, and although she said she doesn't usually look at the name, she did this time. Yes,it was the body of this little boy...her son knows this family as well. She unloaded the box and waited until later to break down and cry. Can you imagine? I have trouble getting these images out of my head of this little boy tripping and falling...and then of him coming out of the belly of the plane all alone in box stamped "H.R." As a Christian, I know that this child's eight years were all that God ordained for him here on earth. We don't know why the Lord decided to bring this child "home" before his life got started, but God does nothing on accident...You can guarantee that He will use this little boy's death for His greater purposes. Here is one "God thing" that struck me already, that boy's remains were taken off the plane by someone who knew who he was...not by a stranger. Of all the flights, on all the airlines, at any given time, his body was taken off the plane by a mother who knew who he was...handled with care....there aren't many baggage handlers that are mothers. You don't think God knew that? As a parent here and now, all I can see is the incredible pain those parents must feel now. Unimaginable, unbearable loss...So if you are so inclined, please pray for this family...

3 Comments:

veronica said...

Oh my! How trajic. I will pray for that famliy. I think today I will hug my children a little harder and tell that how much I love them. I am sure that God has a plan but I am not sure that family can see that right now. God bless that little boy and his family.

Debbie said...

You are right, Veronica. This family probably cannot and won't see the Plan until the Lord is ready to reveal it...that is why they really need prayer...I just pray that their hearts are open and that this tragedy doesn't tear them apart...but build them up in faith that God never allows this kind of pain without something in mind. He is Sovereign.

Anonymous said...

What a tragic story. It made me weep. We can never know our Lord's purposes in such a tragedy. Like you, I pray for this family and that their lives won't be destroyed as a result. Life is so fragile and we only walk this way once. I am reminded that we need to "trust in the Lord with our whole heart and not lean unto our own understanding." My prayers are with them.

Love Mom