So far away

Today I went with a group of Mums ( or Moms) Onboard to the Grand Marche. I had planned to blog about it tonight. However, that is not what is on my heart. Rather, I'll blog about being far away. Because that is my struggle at present. You see one of the biggest challenges about being here is not being able to hop a plane at the drop of the hat and go to where you want to be. 

At present, my Mum is in the Intensive Care Unit in Royal Melbourne Hospital. She has had a perforation in her intestine and had surgery on Friday. She is going back for more surgery tomorrow.  And I can tell you right now - that I am wondering why I am half way around the world, in a country where I can't properly speak the language with Buckley's chance of being where I want to be - which is with my Dad, my brother and sister in law, being able to see where my Mum is at. My heart is in Australia but my body is in Congo. For me at present, I can think of nothing worse.

On the flip side though, my Dad, my brother, Marcus and his wife, Sue, are more useful than I could ever be. For starters, I would be badly jet lagged if I could get a flight and I may as well be in a foreign country as in a hospital. Whereas Sue is a theater sister (OR nurse) and I'm sure is doing an excellent job as "medical translator". Then they have a comfortable home with plenty of space for Dad to stay in as well as the support they are providing him. And I am certain that their children are giving Dad plenty of hugs and kisses as well.

I know that my Mum is not the first person to be ill at Christmas. And I'm not the first person who couldn't get to where they wanted to be during the holiday season.  All I am saying, is that it's hard to be away from home on a normal day. It's even harder to be away when you feel drawn to be somewhere else. What I'd like most for Christmas, are your prayers for healing for my Mum.