I'm a member of a forum called Find Madeleine. It was set up after the disappearance of Madeleine McCann and is now dedicated to missing and abused children everywhere. The people on there do some amazing work.
In the summer of this year, a five year old Swiss girl called Ylenia was snatched from near her home. She was found some weeks later buried in woodland. Her killer took his own life shortly after her disappearance.
When Ylenia was found, the Find Madeleine forum sent a message of support to Ylenias mum, together with a Perpetual Mass in her memory. As a thank you, her mum sent us a balloon to release for Ylenia.
We thought it fitting that we release the balloon back here in Switzerland, so I volunteered.
We made a video of the release, which we posted on YouTube. I've put the link below.
It was emotional day yesterday with the release of the balloon. I tried to explain as best as I could to the children what we were doing and why. It's funny how kids deal with stuff. They kept asking questions about Ylenia and why the 'bad man' took her, where she is now etc.
They've been talking about her all weekend, and my youngest daughter keeps drawing pictures and telling me she loves Ylenia.
Today we went to a Märlisunntig which means 'Fairy Tale Sunday'. It's a Christmas market of sorts with loads of things going on for the kids, including 'Samiclaus' (Father Christmas), face painting, merry go rounds, and street entertainers.
The place was jam packed as you can imagine, the whole of the town was cordoned off to traffic and filled with people.
As we were getting ready to head home we walked down the street and next to us was a little tot, perhaps the same age as my youngest daughter, three. She was beautiful, blond, blue eyes. She caught my eye because she was striding down the street with such purpose and I actually thought she was singing a song. I pointed her out to my husband.
As we walked further I realised she wasn't singing, but rather she was saying 'papi, papi' as she walked. It was then I realised she was alone!
I went up to her and asked where her mummy was and it was only then that she started to cry.
I scooped her up, she was so afraid and confused, and we had problems communicating with her. We speak German but we're not so hot on the Swiss dialect and after much questioning we established that the little girl was only two.
We managed to find an official who first asked us to wait with him, then sent us to the police station. The little girl (Deborah) was with us for at least fifteen minutes before we got to the police station.
As we walked into the station a lady inside shreaked and rushed over to us. She was trembling from head to foot, that poor woman. I ended up crying as well......
It turns out that Deborah was with her Aunty and had wandered off in a split second. She'd wandered about two kilometers before we found her!
It just goes to show, it can happen so quickly. When you're out in a crowd like that you really need to keep hold of them at all times.
The funny thing was that the Aunty, who was crying and could hardly get any words out, mentioned Ylenia to me several times, and asked me if I knew about the case.
I don't know, it was almost like it was meant to be somehow, that I would find her........does that sound daft? It just feels as though it was Ylenia who made sure I was there to find that little girl and return her. It may sound stupid, but I really believe that.
I just wanted to share, I really believe that what I just experienced was 'destiny'. Here's the video of you'd like to see it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27Th_yIAkHc
In the summer of this year, a five year old Swiss girl called Ylenia was snatched from near her home. She was found some weeks later buried in woodland. Her killer took his own life shortly after her disappearance.
When Ylenia was found, the Find Madeleine forum sent a message of support to Ylenias mum, together with a Perpetual Mass in her memory. As a thank you, her mum sent us a balloon to release for Ylenia.
We thought it fitting that we release the balloon back here in Switzerland, so I volunteered.
We made a video of the release, which we posted on YouTube. I've put the link below.
It was emotional day yesterday with the release of the balloon. I tried to explain as best as I could to the children what we were doing and why. It's funny how kids deal with stuff. They kept asking questions about Ylenia and why the 'bad man' took her, where she is now etc.
They've been talking about her all weekend, and my youngest daughter keeps drawing pictures and telling me she loves Ylenia.
Today we went to a Märlisunntig which means 'Fairy Tale Sunday'. It's a Christmas market of sorts with loads of things going on for the kids, including 'Samiclaus' (Father Christmas), face painting, merry go rounds, and street entertainers.
The place was jam packed as you can imagine, the whole of the town was cordoned off to traffic and filled with people.
As we were getting ready to head home we walked down the street and next to us was a little tot, perhaps the same age as my youngest daughter, three. She was beautiful, blond, blue eyes. She caught my eye because she was striding down the street with such purpose and I actually thought she was singing a song. I pointed her out to my husband.
As we walked further I realised she wasn't singing, but rather she was saying 'papi, papi' as she walked. It was then I realised she was alone!
I went up to her and asked where her mummy was and it was only then that she started to cry.
I scooped her up, she was so afraid and confused, and we had problems communicating with her. We speak German but we're not so hot on the Swiss dialect and after much questioning we established that the little girl was only two.
We managed to find an official who first asked us to wait with him, then sent us to the police station. The little girl (Deborah) was with us for at least fifteen minutes before we got to the police station.
As we walked into the station a lady inside shreaked and rushed over to us. She was trembling from head to foot, that poor woman. I ended up crying as well......
It turns out that Deborah was with her Aunty and had wandered off in a split second. She'd wandered about two kilometers before we found her!
It just goes to show, it can happen so quickly. When you're out in a crowd like that you really need to keep hold of them at all times.
The funny thing was that the Aunty, who was crying and could hardly get any words out, mentioned Ylenia to me several times, and asked me if I knew about the case.
I don't know, it was almost like it was meant to be somehow, that I would find her........does that sound daft? It just feels as though it was Ylenia who made sure I was there to find that little girl and return her. It may sound stupid, but I really believe that.
I just wanted to share, I really believe that what I just experienced was 'destiny'. Here's the video of you'd like to see it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27Th_yIAkHc
