Guest Post: The Cappuccino Strip

Today's guest post is from Java, at The Cappuccino Strip. Java is the pseudonym of a South African mom who emigrated with her two kids to Australia. She writes about parenting teens and toddlers, being a working mom, staying fit, and exploring her new country. Her hopeful spirit is much appreciated around my house.


Sophie's Story
by Java, The Cappuccino Strip

I've been blogging for the best part of over two years now and for most of this time I've known Phil and his blog. I was very humbled to have been invited to be guest blogger on his blog, which by the way I think is just awesome. The way Phil reasons things through, explains and promotes good stuff makes his blog one of my most favorites.

But what to write about? Phil said any thing I want to or promote myself and my blog, well I won’t go that far, my blog after all is just a medium through which I love, rant, explore, advertise or tell.

I thought it through and finally decided to write a post here that I was going to post on mine anyway. Your comments will be appreciated as always to debate this matter.

So I’m reading a book lately about the journey of a little girl here in Australia, Sophie Delezio, a Sydney toddler who has survived not one but two horrific accidents. The book was written to recognize the unsung heroes behind the scenes of every accident; police, firemen, ambulance officers, doctors, nurses and all the other support teams such as psychologists, physiotherapists, chaplains, therapists, nutritionists, just to name but a few; the book is a compilation of each person’s "story" of what they did, felt or experienced and how their lives were changed forever since then.

I’m not far into the book as yet but the part that stood out to me so far was the chapter written by the Chaplain of the West Mead Children’s hospital in Sydney. Mostly because, like Sophie’s parents, we once went through a time where we wondered if our baby would survive or not.

When things like that happen to your child you can’t stop and wonder, "Why us? What's God’s lesson or plan with this experience? Did I do something wrong to deserve this, is it a punishment, why my child?" and so the questions and doubt would go on. And admit it, most humans will think of that first: What is the lesson in this for me?

And it was then that this chapter jumped out at me, Chaplain Jan Donohoo explained her answer: "I don’t think He’s a user. I don’t think He’d cause the accident (birth defect or illness) to teach us humans things – that would be using people in the most despicable way, God don’t do that. I think there has been mercy shown in the midst of a terrible situation."

And when a miraculous recovery occurs: "I don’t call it a miracle... I think God gives people skill and perseverance and intelligence and dedication and ability and all those things. I think its God being merciful to a family, giving them what they wanted, with all the consequences. I think it's a miracle when any one turns to God and calls out to Him."

I know not many of you might connect with that paragraph or say "I can see where you are coming from," you might even disagree, but to myself after going through such an experience where I wondered, I feel that I finally have some sort of an answer.

Sophie's parents have started the Day of Difference foundation after their daughter's accidents to raise funds for specialised medical treatment and research, rehabilitation, family support and community education. Please visit their website.

Be sure to visit The Cappuccino Strip for thoughtful discussion about motherhood and more!