THE ROAD OF GREATER SACRIFICE
Angela Crichton
While living in an isolated village on an island in the north of the Philippines, we washed both ourselves and our clothes down at the river. Being the only ‘non-Asian’ the highlight of each day for the children was to watch the ‘white lady’ wash in her sarong at the river. My faithful companion, nine-year-old Nelson, never left my side. (His is another story - one with a happy ending!) Unfortunately I had a relapse of Typhoid Fever and it became more and more difficult to trudge to the river for my daily ablutions. The day came when I realized that I needed medical attention and that it was time to leave the island. Leaving the island proved to be an adventure in itself! After negotiating with a local boat owner, it was decided I was to be down on the shore early the following morning. Weak and unable to walk due to dehydration, I was carried by two men down the track to where the small boat was waiting. A storm was on the horizon so I was told to go back and wait for the right conditions. Finally a few days later and now much weaker, the whole procedure had to be repeated. On these outriggers, no seats are available. One is expected to ‘perch’ on the outer rim. The boat was full of people going to town. They were sitting on a huge pile of logs neatly stacked into the middle of the boat. After a few hours, everyone opened their small aluminium pots and started eating their rice and meat (Karabao, water buffalo). They kindly offered to share, but this time I could not accept their kind offer as was not able to keep anything in my stomach, water included. Just as well, as there were no toilet facilities! I will always be thankful to the Lord for having Rose, a Filipina woman for a friend. I truly believe her care and compassion helped saved my life in what was to transpire. The boat’s anchor was dropped into the sea and the owner announced we would have to wait a number of hours before continuing – until midnight! The reason? The logs he was carrying
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