Believers see God's hand in complicated childbirth
Nida was being very careful to appease the spirits in preparation for the birth of her tenth child. At night she would light fires to keep the spirits away. She also threw salt around the house while chanting and hung ginger in the doorway.
The Tagbanwa woman in the Philippines, in her mid-40s, almost died giving birth to her last three children. Last week, after giving birth to her second son, she was rushed to the hospital due to complications.
Missionaries acknowledge God's presence during their absence from the village. The morning of the birth, nurses had come to the village to immunize the babies. They were in Nida's neighbor's house when she needed help and insisted on getting Nida to the hospital.
An old witch doctor and his wife who are now believers, Kardene and Erlinda, provided money for the trip and prayed that God would use this in Nida's life.
"The only vehicle that travels each day had already left," wrote missionary Philippa Brooks. "At that time it 'just happened' that a construction truck was taking some building materials to the next village and then returning to where the closest hospital is."
The driver agreed to take Nida, the baby and another couple, Augustine and Lilibeth, to the hospital.
Arriving at the hospital, the group had insufficient funds to pay for medical care. Payment in advance is usually required for treatment, but the doctor on duty knew Lilibeth and agreed to admit Nida.
"The doctor said just 30 more minutes and we would have lost her," Philippa wrote. "Tomorrow I will travel by jeepney with another believer named Helen to go and take the money to the hospital and see how she is."
Later, a Tagbanwa woman told Philippa, "This isn't luck. God has a purpose for Nida's life and He is the One who helped us get her to the hospital."
Tagbanwa believers are praying that God will use this situation to draw Nida to Himself. None of her family has ever shown interest in hearing evangelistic Bible teaching. But Nida's husband, Opring, now says that they will come to the teaching when the next session begins.
Please pray for Nida's strength to return and that her family will hear God's Word and come to know the One who gives purpose to life.
The Tagbanwa woman in the Philippines, in her mid-40s, almost died giving birth to her last three children. Last week, after giving birth to her second son, she was rushed to the hospital due to complications.
Missionaries acknowledge God's presence during their absence from the village. The morning of the birth, nurses had come to the village to immunize the babies. They were in Nida's neighbor's house when she needed help and insisted on getting Nida to the hospital.
An old witch doctor and his wife who are now believers, Kardene and Erlinda, provided money for the trip and prayed that God would use this in Nida's life.
"The only vehicle that travels each day had already left," wrote missionary Philippa Brooks. "At that time it 'just happened' that a construction truck was taking some building materials to the next village and then returning to where the closest hospital is."
The driver agreed to take Nida, the baby and another couple, Augustine and Lilibeth, to the hospital.
Arriving at the hospital, the group had insufficient funds to pay for medical care. Payment in advance is usually required for treatment, but the doctor on duty knew Lilibeth and agreed to admit Nida.
"The doctor said just 30 more minutes and we would have lost her," Philippa wrote. "Tomorrow I will travel by jeepney with another believer named Helen to go and take the money to the hospital and see how she is."
Later, a Tagbanwa woman told Philippa, "This isn't luck. God has a purpose for Nida's life and He is the One who helped us get her to the hospital."
Tagbanwa believers are praying that God will use this situation to draw Nida to Himself. None of her family has ever shown interest in hearing evangelistic Bible teaching. But Nida's husband, Opring, now says that they will come to the teaching when the next session begins.
Please pray for Nida's strength to return and that her family will hear God's Word and come to know the One who gives purpose to life.