Madeleine McCann

[gerrit]

Hi All,

I think the story of this girl deserves our attention. She was abducted in Portugal at about the time the Classical Brits concert concluded. She turned 4 yesterday (May 12) and I think it is proper to wish the McCann family strength, also here.

May their little girl soon be restored to them, and may God give them strength to cope in this time of extraordinary stress.

Gerrit

[graemek]

Yes Gerrit,
I read that with sorrow last night.

My prayer too....and soon.

Graeme

[Oksana]

Photos and info are available here:

www.myspace.com/findmadeline

My prayers with Madeleine and her family.

[Joe]

I just saw this on CNN. David Beckham made an appeal for her safe return. I hope the petrol station's cctv cameras have shed light on Madeleine's abduction. The report also mentioned a man and woman on the beach taking photos of children.

Anyone on holiday at Portugal's Praia da Luzor resort at the beginning of May or residents of the Algarve area who may have information are encouraged to call Crimestoppers on [phone].

I'll pray that she is located soon.

[roger]

Thank you, Gerrit. I considered starting a similar thread yesterday but hadn't quite decided how to approach it.

I am sure this terrible news has been reported around the world and I hope the support it brings will give Madeleine's family the strength to see them through these troubled times.

Roger

[Stephany]

My prayers and thoughts are with Madeleine and her family.
I sincerely hope she is found safe and unharmed.

Stephany

[grant]

I have been following little Madelaine's story since it broke, and I cannot begin to imaging the pain and anguish that her family are going through at this time.

The worldwide support for them is truly amazing and a demonstration, I believe, that God is at work here. He must know where she is afterall. Hopefully, that will give some comfort to the family at this dreatful time.


Madelaine was included in our prayers at church this morning and will continue to be in mine until she is restored, safe and sound, to her family.

Grant

[gerrit]

roger said:

Thank you, Gerrit. I considered starting a similar thread yesterday but hadn't quite decided how to approach it.

I am sure this terrible news has been reported around the world and I hope the support it brings will give Madeleine's family the strength to see them through these troubled times.

Roger

Hi Roger,

Of course I wasn't to know your plans - I hope that the way I approached it is approximately the way you would have done it. My post was insprired by a comment I came across that word about Madeleine should be spread far and wide. Then I realised that the two most active forums I am involved with (this one and the official Katherine forum) had not yet paid attention to Madeleine.

It also caused me to think - but what am I to do if I were to discover something relevant? (Haven't we all had thoughts like that - wouldn't we all like to just find Maddy and then make her parents and all their friends happy? And aren't we all feeling rather powerless to really help?) So I tried to find out contact details just in case. I was about to post the telephone number, and found out Joe had posted it. Which made me very glad, because that was exactly in the spirit of my reasons for posting.

Anyone might find Maddy - including one of us. So the word must be spread.

Mind you, I am rather critical about the fact that an eventual lucky finder might be better off to the tune of more than 3 million Pounds. I think this can set dangerous precedents. "Let's abduct a young white girl, and then wait until rewards for her return have mounted up - then one of our operatives who appears above suspicion will give the tip that causes her return. (And the three words 'young', 'white' and 'girl' are all significant in this respect ....) Also, I am aware that there are sentiments that with the 3 million pounds, tens of thousands of black children in Africa could be given substabtial chances for a better life ...

In the current circumstances however, this is a moot point. The crisis for the McCann family is a real one and deserves all our support in being solved - quite apart from what's happened and may still be happening to Maddy. On that point, my mind shudders ....

Gerrit

[roger]

For the latest news on Madeleine and her family's plight, please go to:

www.bringmadeleinehome.com/

Sooner or later, someone, somewhere will see something, hear something, or give a clue that will lead to Madeline being found. It just could be you.

Thanks,
Roger

[chungchungxavier]

Last night I watched a re-run of the "20/20" show and they talked about missing children and how their families handled the ordeal of losing them .


I feel SO sorry for the McCanns .

[gerrit]

Here in Holland, I have witnessed some rather skeptical discussions. The issue isn't very much alive here, and criticism is against the McCanns (for leaving their children on their own), the 'disproportionate'amount of money on offer for tips leading to her safe return, and the 'disproportionate' amount of attention this case is getting.

I don't agree with two of these points. The McCanns were checking their appartment about every 30 minutes, which is more often than parents would check their children's bedrooms if they'd stayed at home. To me, it appears as if the McCann family was being watched for an opportunity to perpetrate the abduction.

I do not think the amount of media attention is disproportionate. I believe it is part of the McCann family's strategy to actually pursue this issue actively - much more so than has been the case with other missing children. And good on them - they are fighting! I can see one risk though. Madeleine's face is becoming so well known worldwide, that the abductor(s) may think there's only one way out. Do away with the girl permanently in a way that makes it virtually impossible to ever find her .... In that way, this campaign of active publicity may be counter-productive....

I do think though that the money on offer for the golden tip is disproportionate. I would shudder at the thought of accepting so much money for giving that tip. I think the money should be added to the fund that has been set up to find Madeleine instead.

My thoughts continue to be with the McCann family and the absolute feeling of despair they must have.

Gerrit