My prayers for Madeleine McCann

I don’t think there is anyone who has not heard about Madeleine McCann – 4 years old and currently missing.

Ever since I heard the news I have prayed that she would be found. Hearing the details surrounding how she went missing, my first thought like a lot of people was, why did they leave their kids alone? My question however was not judgemental, but more in a ‘had they know better’ kind of way. I can really identify with them, because as a parent of 2 kids under 5, I know how difficult holidays can be. In fact, it is never a holiday. The same routine is kept up, you have to watch them continuously, make sure they are fed, watered and reasonably entertained, and your thoughts are always on them as a first priority. You could possibly come back from the holiday more exhausted than you left, if not careful.

It does not make it any easier for me, ‘cos I am quite ‘anal’ like that. If my kids have a routine, I would stick to it even though on holiday. On our recent trip to the Tenerife, I found myself washing all the dirty clothes by day 4!!! What?!! I’m on holiday for goodness sake. Dh (Dear husband) is resigned to the fact that his wifey cannot just relax – always on the go! Anyway, I digress. For one tiny (very, very tiny) moment during the trip, we considered taking the kids to bed and coming back to enjoy the entertainment which had been put up in the lovely hotel we were staying in. A joint resounding ‘No, we can’t do that!’ quickly followed from both of us, but it was sorely tempting. Just one moment without the kids, so we can relax and just enjoy some ‘me’ time would have been nice. We then went on to consider a babysitter, but quickly discounted that as we didn’t know the locals, and couldn’t be comfortable with that idea also, so we ended up trooping back to our room all four of us, to put the kids to bed, after which having changed to our pyjamas, hubby proceeded to pop downstairs to enjoy the entertainment by himself!!!! Nice one

I very much pray for Maddy and her parents. First that she is safe, and secondly for peace and comfort at this time for all her family.