It is almost ten o’clock at night. I am struggling unsuccessfully to get my aching leg into a comfortable position so that I can go to sleep. I am plagued with the thought that perhaps my thigh muscles are completely torn and would require surgery, because why am I no better after 2 weeks.
Our life in BYT does not allow any time for personal injury. Everything we do requires agility: I am used to running 2 miles almost every morning, then climbing mountains, riding on the back of the motorbike, carrying heavy things, ascending and descending the wobbly, high spaced bamboo ladders into people’s homes, sitting cross legged on the floor, and when treating the patients in other villages I am scooting all over the floor to take care of the sick people. Over the past 2 weeks all these activities have come to a screeching halt for me, and I am realizing how valuable 2 strong legs really are.
My thoughts are abruptly interrupted by people’s voices on the porch. They got louder and louder until BletJhaw went to the door. It took me longer to get there. Apparently ChiYe had her baby just a little while ago and now she was in real trouble, bleeding heavily and very dizzy – could we please come and help her.
I grabbed my medical pack, which BletJhaw carried, and hobbled painfully down the two very steep descents into the village. I made it up into the hut. As usual the girl was sitting straight up with her back propped against the blazing cooking fire. One glance told me that her blood pressure had bottomed out. I had only 2 feet of space that was already used up by old blankets and mats, to angle myself in between the girl and the bamboo wall. Truly I felt and looked like the clumsy ‘bull in a china cabinet.’ I must take her blood pressure, start an IV, and give medication, on the floor in this little bit of space without bending my left knee at all! In fact it is very painful just to have it straight out in front of me – but God was there!
ChiYe’s BP was barely audible at 40! I immediately asked the people to help me lay her down flat and put her legs up. Nobody lifted a finger to help me, so I began to dig all the blankets and bags out from behind her, scoot her down, and put the things under her legs. You know, the superstition here is that after delivering a baby the Mother must stay sitting bolt upright with a hot rock pressed into her abdomen …So…. After I laid her down, took out the hot rock, started the IV, pushed the medicine and took her next BP, the people fearfully asked her if she was dizzy and getting worse. She smiled and told them, “No,” she felt so much better! Yes indeed! The medicine had stopped her bleeding and her BP was now 110/70. Praise the Lord!
As I hobbled home in the dark, I thanked the Lord for allowing me to still function, and for saving the girl.
You know Jesus says to me just now: “My grace is sufficient for thee: for My strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me!” 2 Corinthians 12:9