When 15-year-old Elianne Andam left her Croydon home last Thursday morning to go to Old Palace of Whitgift School no-one could possibly have known that she would not arrive at school or return to her home. When Elianne was on the bus a boy tried to give a bouquet of flowers to his former girlfriend, but she rejected them. It seems that Elianne intervened when they got off the bus and the boy pulled out a foot-long, serrated zombie knife and stabbed her in the neck and chest. She died from the wounds. She is the 15th teenager to be murdered in London this year; 13 were stabbed and 2 were shot.
Elianne was from Ghanaian Christian family who are active in their church. Elianne’s father Michael is an author of many books on Christian teaching, while her mother, Dorcas, works as an NHS specialist nurse safeguarding children. They said, “Elianne was the light of our lives. She was bright and funny, with many friends who all adored her. She was only 15 and had her whole life ahead of her, with hopes and dreams for the future. All those dreams have now been shattered.”
On Thursday evening Elianne’s family and friends went to the place where she died. Later, Bishop Rosemarie Mallett read a statement on behalf of the family, “We as a family are struggling to comprehend this painful tragedy that has happened to our beautiful daughter and beloved sister Elianne. Our hearts are broken, and we are overwhelmed by sorrow and grief. Our faith in the Lord is strengthening us. Elianne was a beautiful person inside and out who loved Jesus. She was intelligent, thoughtful, kind and had a bright future ahead of her. It is our request that you keep our family in your thoughts and prayers.”
To whom can we turn when bad things happen? When Christians experience tragedies they turn to God for comfort and strength knowing that he understands their grief and will help them. God’s only Son was unjustly condemned to die on a Roman cross at the age of 33, even though he had done nothing wrong and didn’t deserve to die. It was the greatest injustice in history. Jesus is touched with the feeling of our sadness’s because he personally experienced deep sadness when he was on earth. Jesus is now in heaven and helps us in times of great need. The greatest comfort for Elainne’s parents is knowing that, while she is not with them, she is now safe in heaven with her Saviour who has wiped every tear from her eyes.