3 minute read
Honouring God
“THOSE WHO HONOUR ME I WILL HONOUR”
God is true to His word and does honour our obedience. On return to the village on the island of ---- to continue with health-care, we saw this evident in many situations that without God’s intervention we could have ended up in a lot of trouble! The call came at 3.15 am. It was dark and raining with strong winds. ‘Grandad’ appeared with a flaming torch yelling out for help. A woman was giving birth. Imee, the Filipina nurse, my Vietnamese room-mate and I rushed out the door with our small ‘birth equipment’ bag. We had to fend off barking dogs, slosh our way through the mud and cross three rivers to get to the small bamboo hut on the hill.
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On arrival, we noticed a ‘birthing attendant’ at the scene. Smoke was so thick from the incense burning that we could hardly see. We heard this was to keep ‘evil spirits at bay.’ One small candle served as lighting. The ‘birth attendant’ had tied a thick rope around the mother’s abdomen, had sprinkled on ash and had the father push down with all his strength supposedly to help the baby.
With urgency and more interest in saving the baby’s life than offending, we screamed “NO!” and Imee explained the damage they were doing. The atmosphere was thick, not only of smoke but of feeling. Clearly it was a battle between the forces of light and darkness, life and death. So much so, it was almost tangible.
The local woman began to shave down a bullet with a knife. Before we realized what was happening, the bullet was given to the mother to swallow to ‘strengthen her blood.’ Prayer was needed urgently. The baby was in a breech position and things were serious. We did everything we had been taught with no results. The answer to prayer came through elderly ‘Tatay.’ Although he was experienced in deliveries and had delivered all his own seven children, he was 6
hesitant to offer his service. One of the babies he had helped deliver just a few weeks earlier had died of Tetanus due to the cutting of the umbilical cord with a rusty knife and the community had turned against him. Understandably, he was very reluctant to help.
After much persuasion, he agreed and began to explain each procedure he undertook. Tatay seized the opportunity when we offered gloves, soap and sterilized equipment for him to use. The local ‘birth attendant’ when offered gloves took them, wiped her bloody hands on them then threw them to the floor in disgust. After realizing her services were no longer required, she took her leave in haste!
After spreading ash on the mother’s abdomen, Tatay re-positioned the baby externally, as if he were kneading bread! Exactly 5 hours later after our arrival, at 8.15 am a beautiful healthy baby was born. I like to think of him as the ‘miracle baby’ and know in my heart that day in the battle between life and death, thanks be to God, life won.
The whole village was aware of what was happening and awaited for the outcome. If mother or baby had died, there is no doubt we would have encountered serious consequences. Instead, on the next Sunday there were not enough seats in Church!
Times of trouble are times of trust.
-- Angela Crichton
This was the prophet Elijah’s challenge to the people of Israel who were wavering between two different systems of worship. They discovered without doubt that the Lord is the only true God. Read the story for yourself in 1 Kings 18.
