request for other people

I'm in the middle of a mammoth couple of update posts, but I just had to stop and post this. I work with two South Africans called Carmen and Franklin - they're both lovely people. Their sister is dying of breast cancer, and a few days ago they got the call to say she really was on her way out. So they've been rushing around to get flights back home on short notice - which of course cost a small fortune. Typical prices for London to Cape Town at the moment is £3000. Each.

They managed to get flights for immediately the term here ends (being good & responsible teachers they weren't going to leave before the end of term), but Franklin's baby has chicken pox, and last night she was rushed into hospital because the virus had gone to her brain. We're all scientists, and none of us even knew chicken pox could go to the brain. So she's been having convulsions all night and is in intensive care, Franklin can't possibly go home just yet because his wife and kid need him, and Carmen's just trying to hold everyone together. It's horrendous. We've all been praying that they get home before their sister dies, but at this rate it doesn't look like Franklin will make it. And it was only last year their dad died of cancer.

If you are the praying sort, please pray to your god or gods for them. If you aren't, please think good thoughts for them. I don't know why such terrible things happen to good people. If you know anyone else who might want to pray for some South African science teachers they'll never meet, link to this in your journal. Thanks.

it never rains but it pours

Apparently Franklin & Lynn already lost one baby last year. She died during birth because of a heart defect that was not detected in prenatal scans. Carmen's husband says everything happens for a reason, but at this point I really do throw up my hands and say it isn't fair.

It kinda puts all my problems into perspective, really.

The most frustrating thing is there isn't anything I can do, short of spreading the message around a small subsection of internet users and try to get some good thoughts going.