Urgent prayer request

A family in our parish faces an unbelievable tragedy. I don't know them personally, but they are constantly on my mind and in my prayers. I ask yours as well.

Both mother and father are unemployed. Their house was foreclosed on in June and apparently they were to be forcibly evicted this week. According to the news coverage, the father had been taking care of the finances and the mother had been given the impression that everything had been resolved in their favor.

On Saturday night, the father smothered their 4-year-old son. His older children awoke to find him trying to smother them as well, and successfully fought him off. The father then attempted unsuccessfully to commit suicide. Upon his release from the hospital, he was arrested for the murder of his son and the attempted murder of his older two children.

Please pray for each of them: the little boy who died, the mother who now must figure out what to do without the support of her husband; the children who must come to grips with the loss of their father and brother as well as the knowledge that their father tried to kill them; and the father, previously known as a loving parent who did everything with his kids, and who now must be going through unbelievable torment knowing the horror that resulted from his actions. 

The mother and surviving children have been taken to a safe place supplied by the church for now (as the news media has been relentless). Funeral arrangements are being paid for. A fund has been set up for donations for them. If anyone is interested in giving, here is the information:

Wachovia Bank
Christine Mitchell DBA
Blake Mitchell Fund 1010293415679
2200 W Main St, #910b
Durham, NC 2770

But regardless, please keep them in your prayers.

Amen

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