Why THIS child? - Angola Day 9
November 27th, 2009 Posted in 2009 Angola, INMED
Here, amid the heavy rain showers, in the background I can hear wailing from the Gomez family. I am so very shocked and saddened to discover that their son, my young patient with typhoid fever, abruptly died! Yesterday, 4 days after surgery, his condition appeared to be excellent. He was talking with me and comfortable and asking for food. That evening, after the sun stopped beating down, I departed on an 6 mile run across the lonely savannah. Without warning, a boy trotted up beside me and introduced himself as Gomez brother. He said it was not good to run alone. But then today to arrive and find Gomez dying before my eyes was just too much. Why did he suddenly succumb after appropriate antibiotics and fluids and repair of his intestinal perforations? Did I miss something? Sure, I’m in a nation where a quarter of the kids die before school age. But why THIS child? Before I made this journey, I was praying for these people. A thought struck me ‘It’s not enough to ask for an answer to pray. One also must be willing to BE an answer!’
One Response to “Why THIS child? - Angola Day 9”
By Dorothy Emery on Nov 29, 2009
Be the answer! What if every Christian could/would take the step from prayer to action? I think we get frozen by thoughts of consequences. Is this perceived action “reasonable?” What would the neighbors think? We lived in a society bound by logic. There are cracks here and there which let the light in. Going anywhere - including across the street on a mission can be seen as being the answer. Dam the consequences! Follow the companion who Christ gave us.