Unbelievable

Remember the crash that killed the Taylor University students, including the fiancee of the son of our good friends? Well, is this bizarre or what?

To summarize: One of the girls who was injured in the crash was in a coma until recently. When she began speaking, she finally was able to tell the folks who'd been surrounding her bedside for weeks that she was not their loved one!

This was not our friend's fiancee, by the way. (A friend just called this afternoon to ask.)

Can you imagine the pain and incomprehension of this family as they realized that their daughter/sister had been dead for five weeks, and was already buried--with someone else's family? Can you imagine the elation of the family who had mourned and buried their daughter, as they now receive her as one back from the dead?

(Can you imagine the attorneys beating down the doors of both families, and the health insurance nightmare this will be to sort out? Can you believe a similar case of mistaken identity happened just two years ago?)

I know this news has reopened the wounds of the families and friends of those students who died. A Taylor student left a comment on a previous post thanking those who were praying and saying what a difference it makes. Would you join me in praying for these families, especially the VanRyn family, who just learned that their daughter actually died five weeks ago?

And as the Lord brings him to your mind, please continue to pray for our friend Nate, who lost his fiancee, Laurel. He says he's doing pretty well, except he's been unable to sleep since the accident. He's planning to spend the summer working on a relative's farm, staying in a tent in the fresh country air; hopefully the hard physical labor will help him sleep.

"Lord, we commend to your mercy those who have died...." (from The Book of Common Prayer) What a comfort, to commend ourselves and our loved ones to our merciful Lord.