The case of missing toddler Madeleine McCann remains unsolved. A man is helping police with enquiries. At present, there doesn't seem to be much more going on. The police are not really further forward on tracking her whereabouts. I won't speculate further for fear of prejudicing further enquiries.

However, police did take a local man for questioning who was later released without charge. Another man had a two computer hard drives and a laptop removed from his residence, approximately ten minutes from the scene of Maddie's disappearance.

Around Britain and the locality at Praia da Luz on the Algarve, Portugal, remains abundant with press, both TV and written media. There is still a police presence. People have downloaded posters and have displayed them in their homes, cars and store windows and the like. Hopefully, this could 'jog' someone's memory, and however trivial they may feel it might be, it could well assist the Portuguese judicial constabulary who have the reins to the investigation. 

Similarities have been drawn against the case of British toddler Ben Needham who vanished 16 years ago, aged 21 months from the island of Kos, Greece. Fourteen days on, the similarities are frightening real, but Ben's mum Kerry, still believes that her son is still alive and it has probably been that hope that has kept her going all of this time. In Maddie's case, there is still hope, real hope, mostly because there is no solid evidence.

For Kate and Gerry, Maddie's distraught parents, the ordeal is overwhelming. Gerry seems to be of strong enough character to hold himself and his wife together, no matter the different scenarios being thrown up by conjecture and imagination.

For any parent, this kind of situation is the worst possible thing that can happen, no matter what age the child is. But faith has to be strong in whichever department one puts it.

A fund set up yesterday, is designed to help in whatever capacity and to ensure that everything physically possible is being done to track down the current whereabouts of this beautiful little girl, who,  into the hearts of the world, has been taken. Maddie will be confused, upset and no doubt traumatised by this ordeal; the removal from her family will lay heavy. But I pray for her safe return and would ask that everyone, no matter which faith you all follow, to do the same. This little girl belongs with her loving family who miss her. The person or persons responsible MUST return Maddie, she is NOT their child!!

I think all of us, by some degree however small and without malice, are guilty of apathy somewhat when we see news this horrifying. No matter who we are, we sometimes have the same emotions. Or not. Normal members of society, caring, compassionate, affectionate do, moreover, take things as read and that being, once the news if out, believing that the misper is already deceased whether by the hand of a subsequent abductor or just a victim of the current circumstance. Of course, we don't want to have that feeling, but we're only human.

I think it's a form of a defence mechanism against the pain we wholly feel should the conclusion be negative and leading to loss of life.

In the case of Maddie's disappearance, there seems to be something quite intrinsically different. Something I can't quite single out. Something that speaks volumes,  a voice that reaches the hearts and minds, not of a nation, any nation but of humanity entirely.
We HAVE to believe Maddie WILL be returned safe and free from harm. The fund I mentioned, the newspapers and TV media, the internet all solidify that resolve.

It is about belief. It is about faith and above all, it's about our love for a fellow human being. By coming together, in whatever capacity, we can be the strength that changes lives. And saves them. We, as that collective, CAN help to bring Maddie home, to the bosom of her loving family.

Today, join the global vigil…

I know there are other children, other people, missing all over the world and we can all do a bit to help find them too, but today is about Maddie. A beautiful, just  fours year old,  toddler who was on holiday with her parents and twin brother and sister. She did nothing to deserve this ordeal.

May I respectfully request that you tell everyone about this appeal wherever possible.

Please feel free to copy/paste and crosspost of paste into your site(s). I ask as a parent, as a grandparent and as a citizen of Mother Earth.

The stronger the belief, the stronger we all are.

Bring Maddie home. Safe and well.

From outside of the UK please contact Crimestoppers on 00 44 18 83 73 1336

If you're phoning from within the UK contact 0800 555 111

The fund site on the Internet can be found at www.findmadeleine.com
From Thursday May 17th:

Members of the public will be able to make donations to 'Madeleine's Fund:   Leaving No Stone Unturned Limited' over-the-counter in any branch of Nat West and The Royal Bank of Scotland.

Postal Donations can be made with cheques payable to 'Madeleine's Fund : Leaving No Stone Unturned'. Cheques should be posted to the following address:
'Madeleine's Fund'
c/o The International Family Law Group
26 Southampton Street
Covent Garden
London
WC2E 7RS

Internet donations can be made into the following account:
'Madeleine's Fund : Leaving No Stone Unturned'
Sort Code 60 40 05.
Account Number 32130058

All donations will be processed free of charge.

Thank you and bless you all…    tcmoon  XX