Why you would ask, “Rescue 411” and not “Rescue 911”, well that is simple. We were 4 people, Beth, Greg, Carmen and me, rescuing 1 child and 1 woman, out of the mountains. This was a pure action of Mercy that we did and nothing fancy at all. God say we need to help the poor and hopeless, so what a choice we have. On recent outreach to Tapak, we stumbled across Merna and Jessie. After birth of Jessie, he did not receive any breast milk and lived his short 9 months on sweet potatoes. His mum, Merna, started to have bad complications and she started to swell up badly. She could not walk and stay in the house, while the dad tries to work to feed the family.
Long story short, we went to rescue them both and took the time and ride all the way up, on roads not before tried with a small truck like mine. They carried her out with men working together to carry. They sweat and puffed but it was no problem to bring her in a hammock, all the way down from the village, up to the car. The ride was bumpy and very far but they survived that.
We brought her all the way to the German hospital i
n Bukidnon for a checkup. By that time all of us were very tired. The doctor took an x-ray and he said she has a very big cist in her stomach that they need to operate on immediately. They cannot do it there and we had to turn around and go back to Davao. Off we went again to Medical mission hospital. I know that my friends there will help us. They did an Ultrasound again. Dr. Wong talk to me in the morning. He said they could find nothing wrong with Merna. What ??? Cannot be. He said they think she have Tb of the stomach and we should give her Tb meds for 6 months. Was that all??
Well, till today I believe the Lord healed her on the way from the German Hospital to the Medical Mission hospital.
Jessie is under grandma’s good care. Nothing gets her away from Jessie. So sweat to see the two together. Please pray for this family. They had to leave their home and 3 children behind, not knowing when they will see them again, not knowing if someone will give them food, and not knowing if they ever will see them again. Pray for healing in this family. All we can say is that God is in control, Amen.
Jessie is doing much better. He is even gaining some weight. We took Myrna and Ramon home. Twans could accompany me for the drive and we had a good time talking and enjoying the country. So good my wife could finally come with me on an outreach. We left them under the special care of pastor friends and just pray that God will help them. In a week I am making another trip into the area and will check on her and give her more Tb meds. In the meantime we have Jessie also on Tb drugs. His lungs are not doing good and the doctor said to take it. We pray that he will be ok. Pray for this family as we try our best to help them.
Jessie is doing well. In spite of his lungs that are filled with fluid because of infection and Tb, he is doing great. He picked up a lot in weight and is sitting up straight and smiling. Joe, a friend of ours is helping out to look after him. Grandma is the one taking care of him while being here at home. We are planning his return home and maybe he can home in 2 weeks time. His mum, Merna is doing well and we are sure he can make it in his place in the mountains
We took Jesse home last Thursday. With mixed feelings, wondering if we’re doing the right thing and not sure if his dad would even come to the nearby village to come and fetch him. Isn’t it better for him with us where he is fed regularly and bathed 2x a day? Back home his diet would be mostly sweet potatoes. Many asked us if we are not considering adopting him, but we had to ask God what He wants. He is the Savior, not us! And once again God has guided us to do what would glorify Him not us. Let me explain:
When we took Myrna home 2 months ago we asked the nearby village’ pastor to help take care of her. The pastors’ wife shared with us that Myrna’s village is very ‘closed’. They are not open for help or education and most of the men are lazy and no good. Dirty, rundown place. While she talked I got the impression that now because they would not willingly go there for outreach, God places the least likeable of the lot right on their laps. Through this family a door is opened.
We arrived early morning and there was great excitement. The pastors’ family held Jesse and kept on saying “Salamat Ginoo (Thank you Lord), Jesse looks so good. He was sitting up and giving charming smiles with his now very chubby cheeks. And who stood there waiting for his son – Ramon. He looked so good (we should put a before and after picture of him instead of Jesse)and proud to come and fetch his son. Jesse’ older brother came with and so happy to see his baby brother. And then Ramon, who never speaks, (the pastor thought he is mute) takes Mordegai by die arm and says very slowly but very clearly that his wife is healed. He made sure Mordegai understood him, 2x he showed that she had no more swelling. Praise God!
On our way home, while driving through a river in heavy rain, I’m thinking we should not put a before and after picture of Jesse in our update, but rather of ourselves. During Myrna and Ramon’s stay in our kitchen my mom and I shared many times how it was very challenging and how God patiently urged us to forget about ourselves, our own private ‘kingdoms’ and just serve and be changed. Even my helper would come into my room all stressed because Myrna has bad TB, Jesse is coughing up his lungs and I could share verses with her and encourage her. My mom took most of the care of Jesse on herself and blessed us with her example of patience and loving care. Yes, yes, I know, we are guilty of “Ouma abuse”. It was neat to see how God used her. Another missionary family also helped. Of all the families we knew they had the most valid excuse of not helping as they have their hands full already (7 children, 2 adopted from Sierra Leone) . God reminded us again to allow others to be stretched and changed too.
After 3 months was over since we took Merna home, we took the truck again, armed with all the guys and girls from MMc and made it for the mountains. I personally did not think we are going to make it but once again the little truck pulled it off. This time seemed to be a real challenge as the road was so bad and the truck died 2 times in the river. We had to push it out the river. The engine got wet and we struggled up the mountain. Many times the guys had to push and pull. Well we made it up to La-ak to start our walk. It was just an hour later when we came to Tipakis.
The pastor there told us that they adopted Jessie now and his wife is not there right now but in Samal. Good I have an outreach there this week. We saw Merna and she looked so beautiful and fresh. The Lord really touched her in a very special way. We made it in good timing as her 3 months medications was just done. I gave her another 3 months worth of meds. We did some small ministry by giving clothes to everyone and gave some slippers to the kids. Uncle Mike sponsored the slippers to the kids.
Then it was struggling back up the hill. Poor Manny suffered a bit but we all made it in good cheer. Down the mountain and over the rivers and back on the highway in 4 hours, we were glad this was over. Now only 2 hours home. Everyone of us where beyond tired when we reached Davao but I was so happy to report that Merna was doing good.
The same week I visited Pastora and Jessie. He was so fat and healthy. He was doing so good and thank to God was all we could give.
A short testimony from Ouma Paula:
I’ve been a professional nurse for about 35yrs. I have seen a lot of ill people and wounds. Through life and nursing you grow so accustomed by what you see and know, that you forget about God and faith.
When Mordegai told me about Myrna, her illness, the weakness, swollen legs, ascites (abdomen
full of water) I already thought it’s a hopeless case. I thought it was ovarian cancer, a very dangerous cancer. Mordegai wanted to bring her to the Dr’s here and Toinette asked him to also bring Jesse, as he was malnourished and sickly. The German Dr’s in the province did a scan and said she’s very ill. Here in the hosp they gave her a blood transfusion and diagnosed her with TB of the stomach lining. Mordegai took her out of the hospital after 3 days because it’s very expensive as they had to put her in isolation. When I saw her, I had an overwhelming feeling of rejection, how could Mordegai bring such a TB patient into the house for us to nurse. What about us and the kids?
Also when I saw her, I had this feeling of hopelessness, it is a hopeless case. She was so swollen and couldn’t even b
reathe properly. I thought how such severe ascites could be healed.
I prayed for protection and got peace afterwards. We nursed Myrna for a week and it was not easy. We prayed to God to touch and heal her. But in my heart I thought it’s impossible.
It humbled me greatly when she told Remi, our helper that she has only 2 chickens but she wants to give me one to say thank you for taking such good care of her baby.)
When Mordegai and Toinette came back last Thursday night and told me how Ramon testified that
his wife has no swelling and doing well. I knew that in my heart that God healed her.
A year later in Jul’08 I had the privilege to visit them again. I came all the way from Cambodia and all of us, Greg, Carmen and Beth were there to see the miracle that God did in their lives. Jessie was living with the pastor and Merna was restored to her ever present Tribal-girl look, small and skinny but happy. We really could praise God this time for this little miracle He did.
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