Papa, can Ele go to heaven?

It all started with a thunder roll last evening. Deborah and Rachel were seated on the family sofa when a loud thunder with trailing echo rumbled. They both exclaimed “wa, so loud!” and instinctively covered their ears. When it passed, Deborah suddenly asked me, “Papa, did you say that there will be a loud sound when we go to heaven. Is it like this, or louder?”

“Oh, you mean the loud sound during rapture?” I asked. She nodded.
“It’s a loud trumpet sound, that’s what the Bible says, and that those who are still alive and believed in Jesus, they will float up to the sky.” I said.
“But is it SO loud?” Deborah asked.

I sensed her fear and said, “I don’t think so, maybe …” but before I could complete my sentence, she excitedly jumped up and said, “Haha, we will all suddenly float up? Whoppee!”, and both Rachel and her started jumping and animating the rapture scene to their best imagination.

Before long, she became silent and suddenly asked, “Papa, when we go to heaven, will we remember our life here?”
“Uh.. maybe. Why?” I replied hesitantly.
“Then I will miss Ele”, said Deborah.
Tears started welling in her eyes.
“Papa, can Ele go to Heaven?” Deborah pleaded. I was speechless.

“Ele”, you see, is her beloved Elephant soft toy pictured here.
Ele and Deborah are practically inseparable, except on school days when Ele will stay at home, and then when Auntie Yumi, our domestic helper goes to school to fetch her, she brings Ele along too. This is a daily routine which I discovered recently when I took leave to prepare for Deaf-initely Boleh! Carnival 2006.



“Maybe God will give you a real-life baby Ele in heaven since God loves you so much” I tried to comfort her.

“But I only love this Ele” she said, half-sobbing by now.

“Hmm, maybe you can hold Ele when you are about to go to heaven?” I said, searching desperately for an answer.

“But PAPA, Ele has no soul. She won’t be with me when I wake up in heaven” Deborah replied.

I flipped through her Bible story book, desperately looking for some reasons to cheer her up.

“Hey, look! Here’s a picture of people in heaven. Can you see their clothes, sandals, scarves?” I pointed out excitedly. “Clothes! Accessories! Yes, it means they may have soft toys in heaven!”

"But, there's no soft toy in the picture" Deborah said.

“Well, Papa really don’t have any answer for you. It's a tough question. Why don’t we ask God tonight before we sleep?”

That night, I told God my helplessness. I know God loves Deborah and will want her to be joyful in heaven. But will He let Deborah bring Ele to Heaven? I asked God to just show me what He has in store for me to reply to Deborah.

This morning, while commuting to work, I came across a poem “Little Boy Blue” by Eugene Field. It goes like this:

The little toy dog is covered with dust,
But sturdy and stanch he stands;
And the little toy soldier is red with rust,
And his musket moulds in his hands.
Time was when the little toy dog was new,
And the soldier was passing fair;
And that was the time when our Little Boy Blue
Kissed them and put them there.

"Now, don't you go till I come," he said,
"And don't you make any noise!"
So, toddling off to his trundle-bed,
He dreamt of the pretty toys;
And, as he was dreaming, an angel song
Awakened our Little Boy Blue---
Oh! the years are many, the years are long,
But the little toy friends are true!

Ay, faithful to Little Boy Blue they stand,
Each in the same old place---
Awaiting the touch of a little hand,
The smile of a little face;
And they wonder, as waiting the long years through
In the dust of that little chair,
What has become of our Little Boy Blue,
Since he kissed them and put them there.

Memories. We all have memories. I am sure Little Boy Blue remembered his little toy dog and little toy soldier, and the time he spent with them, even after he’s gone to Heaven.

I guess God wants me to share with Deborah that He has given us memories, beautiful memories to treasure and cherish. Even though Ele may not be able to join us in Heaven eventually, no one can take away Deborah's memories of Ele.

Picture of Deborah and Ele, drawn by Deborah on 18th Dec 2006.

Thomas