Machete Experience

Sometime ago…(late October)

The day of the children’s parade we showed up at the school to help decorate. I was going to stay there and help and James and the kids were going to Caticlan to pick up some stuff. When we arrived I asked Lora if she needed anything and she did so she came to the car to tell us what she needed. While she was talking to James we heard a lady yelling and turned and saw a little boy walking down the street crying, with blood all over his white t-shirt. He wasn’t holding his head but I immediately knew he was bleeding from there. I ran to him and picked him up and we sat in the back of our van. I got my sweat rag and applied some serious pressure to his cut. The grandma said he was cut by a machete. So we said get in let’s go to the hospital. 

She had his little brother and sister with her and Daniel, Lydia, and Sam were there with us too. We sped up the road and at the end the grandpa was there milling rice. The grandma beat on the side of our car yelling for him to get in. He jumped in and was immediately pale. Now it’s hard to get pale as a Filipino because of dark skin, but he was pale. I can’t imagine as a grandfather to see that much blood on your grandson and not flip out. On the way to the hospital the grandmother was beating on the side of our van yelling for people to move. The little boy I was holding was crying “nani, nani, nani (mommy)” I just held him and sang Jesus loves me very softly. 

When we reached the hospital (10 min) we honked to let them know we were an emergency. I carried him into the ER and laid him on the bed while still keeping pressure on his head. The grandfather left to go get the mom who works in the nearby town and the grandmother answered the doctor questions. Lydia, Dan and Sam stayed in our car until James went out to them about 10 min later. They were so scared for the little boy that they didn’t even want to get out. 

I found out his name is John Lloyd. I laid him down on the table, on his back until the nurses came and they turned him over. I never released pressure because every time I did blood would spurt out. The nurses looked at the cut and then they came over to shave his hair away from the cut, with a straight razor. Now mind you there has yet to be cleaning and deadening of his skin. So he was gripping my hand as hard as he could. When they began to shave all around the cut he cried out in pain. The nurses here are not the most comforting people in the world so I distracted him as best as possible by asking him about school. I found out his favorite subject is Filipino and his favorite color is blue. Once they were done shaving it, they cleaned his wound (still no lidacaine) and washed it out. 

Finally the doctor came in and deadened it but immediately began to put the stitches in, John Lloyd cried out again, but once the 3rd stitch was in he was better. As soon as the nurse was putting the dressing on his head I heard the trike pull up and I went to see if it was his mom. It was so I met her at the door and showed her the way to her son. She was crying and holding him as they both cried. I stepped outside and fell into James’ arms. I lost it. I cried so hard. My heart was releasing so many emotions through my tears. First relief, then the initial fears I felt but couldn’t express, then the overwhelming Love for our Lord for His perfect timing and trusting me to mother one who is not my own. 

After a few moments of tears and heart pounding cries, I went back in to check on things. His mother immediately hugged me and held on tight. I held her as she cried. All she kept saying was ‘Salamat Ma’am. (thank you ma’am) I only smiled and said it was my honor to be here. We then had to get the x-rays done and wait for results. Thankfully after about 45 min all that was done and we learned there was not skull fracture. But while waiting for the results James bought all the kids (6 of them) some chocolate milk, and the adults (4 of us) water.

We learned they are believers and actually have come in the past to our church. We invited them to come again soon. After all that was over, Kim came by and was there just in time to pay the bill. That is also a part of their ministry here. It’s also very inexpensive here. All that was only $30 or p1,500. We took the mom back to work and then took the family home. Before they left us I prayed over John Lloyd and for their family. 

You see, to me, that is what it’s all about. Being the hands and feet of Jesus is only a part, but lifting them up before the Father in their presence is the life changing part. To humble myself before the Father while holding the hand of a small boy here on earth, is what it’s all about. That afternoon John Lloyd and his family came to the children’s program we had a school. It was a blessing to see them and hug them again even a few hours later.

The Lord is so very good and I’m constantly in awe of His love and provision for us. It is always easy, never, but worth it, always!! I’m so thankful for the life and experiences I’ve had up to this point. I might only be 29 but looking back if I hadn’t’ been through what I have up to now, I would be useless where God has me. Remember this; what you are facing might not make sense until years down the road. Hang in there; persevere with in endurance to the end. The movie of your life is one in which you will be glad you held strong.

Praise be to the creator of all things, Glory to God in the Highest.