The Good Samaritan

 

I know that I am long overdue writing a letter to everyone and I am very sorry about that.  I have sat down many times to write and the words just are not coming out right so you could say that I have been having writer’s block.  But the event that happened this morning must be written.

Jamie left this morning to go to Moundou to get several things accomplished.  The administrator of the hospital was going with him along with four others that had business to take care of in the same direction so they were catching a ride.  They all prayed together for protection before leaving.

Not far down the road there was a young boy riding a bicycle and struggling in the deep sand.  The young boy lost control of his bike  and the sand pushed him in the middle of the road.  Jamie was driving and swerved toward the left side of the road to avoid the out of control bike.  But it was unavoidable, Jamie hit the boy and his body flew up into the windshield.  The sound of the body crashing into the van raised the fear in everyone that he must be dead.  The van stopped immediately and all the doors flew open.  Jamie was thinking that everyone was going to check on the boy but instead everyone ran into the bush.  The people here know that if there is an accident and someone dies, that the local people will beat the person that was driving.  Many people came running out with sticks but the chef of the village was there and told them not yet, the boy was still alive.  Jamie standing there alone trying to help the boy, not knowing the language of all the people shouting.  He got help enough to get the boy into the van and the other passengers joined back in once they saw that their lives were no longer in danger. 

Jamie returns to the hospital with the boy and gets him right into the preoperative room to be checked out immediately by Dr. Olen.  The amazing part of the story is that the boy seems to be fine.  He is staying here for observation but there is nothing really wrong with him.  His leg hurts a little and the back of his head but he has no cuts and seems to be fine.  Praise the Lord!  Because by the pictures of the van you would never think that he would be ok. (picture below)

When Jamie came home to tell me the story I could hear the disappointment in his voice about how everyone just left him and he was the only one that stayed to help the boy.  It just reminded me of the good Samaritan story.  He was the one that stayed and helped even if his life could have been in danger. 

I am very proud of my husband for his courage.  It is at times like these that you can see the true character of people.  He didn’t even think twice about running.  He knew that someone needed his help and it was the right thing to do.  We hope that the way Jamie dealt with this situation can be a witness for God.  Maybe for those in the car or those in the village or for the stories that were told at the hospital all day.  May all praise be to God for the good that He has done today!