A prayer

Father, Jesus, Holy Spirit,

I come before you today, in the hope that You may give Coco more time here, with us, especially with my brother Worth, and my sister Earth.

I thank You for letting her come thus far, from her infancy, to the day we received her, to the day she survived the car crash and did not need the amputation on her hind leg. I thank You that she need not be put down at this point, that even when my mother told Coco's original owner "让她睡吧" (Let her sleep), You saved her from such a fate, and allowed her to regain some life in the presence of Earth and Auntie Thandar.

I pray, firstly, that should she receive a skin graft, that every operation on her be successful, and that no casualty will result, and secondly, that should she be coming home for good, that she lives out her days with the least pain, and the most happiness possible.

I no longer hate and despise the car that ran over her that day, that threw us into the predicament my family suffers now. It was not the driver's fault, but the work of Satan, that gave the car that final move towards her.

But I know my sister loves Coco with all her heart, despite how Coco's big appetite has troubled us so, and how her constant harassment for food has irritated us at times. My sister has always held a candle to Coco, always tried to protect Coco from all the consequences that Coco's little antics brought on her. For her I pray for strength and the will to live in Coco, that her life may be extended further longer, and that her health deteriorates no longer, that she need not be put to sleep.

I myself love Coco, despite my aversion to her licks and her sniffing my bare skin, and though admittedly I favour Ruski over Coco, it would be strange to not see that familiar face scuttle up to me and demand a stroke, or a pet, or to shake my hand. For that, I also pray Coco's life may be extended, that I may see her again even after my departure to Trinity College.

You once said "Let the weak say 'I am strong'," and it is in the faith of this statement that I pray You give her strength to carry on. To live a fuller life than that she already lives, and to keep us company for a longer time. I know I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Let me, with this power, speak life into Coco's life, that she'll live through this, exceedingly, abundantly, above all, against all odds.

But Lord, if you cannot do this, let Your will be done. The Lord giveth, and the Lord taketh away, and if the unthinkable happens, at least let her go happy. Let her have the best last days a dog can have, let her be as happy as she can be. I myself do not wish for her to go any time soon, but if she must return to Your kingdom, she must.

I pray all this in the name of Jesus.

Amen.