You probably have heard by now the story the 6-year-old kid took off in the hot air balloon. It was all over the news. I was at work and saw the breaking news headline from the local news website. In the short time, the whole world was watching the same news with the live video broadcast of the balloon on its course. Despite there were so many comments, criticisms over the boy’s parents on how they should have watched their kids, and how and why it happened, I was just worrying about the boy. It was about 50 degree outside and wind had picked up. Lots of what-if went on in my head.

What if it’s too cold up there? It’s not likely that he has jacket on.

What if it flies too high, and he can’t breath?

What if he opens the gate somehow and falls off?

What if the air balloon hit something hard?

I was really concerning for the boy, so I prayed for him.  I don’t know this boy, but I worry for him as if he was my child. God must loves this  kid even more. I lifted him up to the hands of God. Only He could save. I also prayed for the frantic parents.

When the news update showed the balloon crash landed but rescuers did not see the boy inside,  my stomach just had a sad, worry, weird feeling all the same time. You know what I mean?!  Just as anyone else, I was afraid he might had fallen off the balloon during flight.

Until later in the evening, I heard the news that the boy was found at home, hiding in the attic. Boy, I was happy and relief! I thanked God for the safety of this kid. Even the boy wasn’t in the balloon in the first place, I wouldn’t count out that it wasn’t God. If it wasn’t something that God did to prevent the boy to get inside that balloon, there wouldn’t be this happy ending.

It’s great for the parents to have the boy home and safe. Now they have to face all the media attentions, judgement, criticism from everyone. Understanding there is negligence in their part, but kids are very unpredictable as well. I feel sorry for them. It’s going to be a long time for all the dust to settle.

UPDATE (2009/10/19)

Apparently, the whole deal was a hoax. The parents was set up the whole thing as a public stunt for a reality show. They are now facing felony charges and such. What were they thinking? What kind of parents would put their own kids into this mess? I guess my prayer should have been for the parents, instead.