Po Da Da
It was a hot afternoon. I was still at the house where clinic duties had been finished for the day. I am not usually there at that time, but I was stocking and tidying supplies, when I heard voices on the porch. I stepped out to greet the visitors. I saw several people. A man carried a boy on his back, who seemed too large to carry that way. There was no interpreter, so in my own clumsy way of speaking their language, I discovered the boy fell approximately 20 feet out of a tree 30 minutes ago. Only now, as the father laid him on the porch did he regain consciousness. The boy’s color was pale, skin cool and dry. Head to toe examination found nothing abnormal except pain and guarding of the abdomen. It was soft, but on palpation I heard no bowel sounds. His pulse was bounding and he had grunting respirations. In true Karen style, he was not complaining, but sat up, and some thought him to be in no danger. However there was great danger! I quickly called my son, Bradley to drive us to the hospital, top speed! I prayed for this boy there on the porch with the family and friends sitting there wondering what prayer was all about. The boy’s life was in danger and only God could keep him 30 minutes to the small local hospital and then in an ambulance 2 hours further to Mae Sot where he would finally have surgery.
Once at the hospital an ultrasound proved so much blood in the abdomen that they could not tell where the ruptures were. It seemed to be a long time before the ambulance arrived. The Lord told me to go into the ER with the Father and pray for this child again. My first inner reaction shrank from this assignment. The Thai nurses are all around and they are so frivolous and laughing. It is not a good environment. But I rose, brought the Father in with me and offered a fervent prayer at the bedside for the life of this precious little boy to be restored by the loving touch of Jesus and for His glory. Soon the ambulance arrived and they were swept away.Two days later the Adams family went to Mae Sot and I asked them to please visit Po Da Da and see how he was doing. They brought the report that the boy was sitting up in bed, but the hospital had done nothing for him, no surgery – NOTHING. I was upset! Anybody halfway medical could see from the ultrasound reports and their own examination that he needed surgery, the quicker the better.Five days later the family returned to the front porch, and to my utter amazement and shock, there in perfect health sat Po Da Da! I could hardly believe my eyes! I asked, “Na o de sue clea?” (How do you feel)? Are you in pain? Do you eat well? Do you run and play? Do you have blood in your urine or stool? The answers were all good, he was smiling, happy, and jumping about! Slowly my shock turned into a deep gratitude and deeper understanding of God’s love and pity for these dear people that I also loved and pitied. He is there pleading their cause. Slowly it dawned upon me that God must have healed this child in the ambulance on the way to Mae Sot, otherwise they would have done immediate surgery.
- The family are so happy to have their boy well. They made this shirt for me, and put it on me for the picture.
We cannot find words to describe our thankfulness to God for all His wonderful works. We are so slow to see His hand working out all things for good. Our worship to Him is so lifeless and cold compared to His wonderful life giving miracles and outstretched hand.Oh Lord, I love You.