Out of their element
Two Manobo women and a child braved the chaotic bustle of a city in the Philippines to get medical help for the child, Angelina.
Angelina, age 6, has cataracts and is in need of surgery. Her mother, Jusilyn, along with her friend Ubiliya, arranged to meet missionaries Trevor and Judy Clarke to begin the process of fulfilling all the requirements for Angelina to have her operation. If Angelina passes, a surgeon will operate on her for free.
"Our first attempt at crossing a main road at a T-crossing was a freak-out," Judy wrote. "Jusilyn stopped in the middle of three-way traffic. … I went straight back to her. Trev's yelling for me to get her and I'm literally dragging her off the road. The first day in this city was very hard on our girls. We got them food and settled them into their area at the hospital as quick as possible."
While Judy and Trevor were trying to help get Angelina into surgery, one of the nurses asked if the girl had a cough. To the surprise of Angelina's mother and the missionaries, the little girl proceeded to cough, something they never heard her do before. The nurse told them that if she had a cough, she wouldn't be able to have the surgery.
This meant another trip to another part of the city to see a pediatrician as to whether or not Angelina had a chest infection.
"There is no way [the tribal] people could come out here and deal with a city on their own. There is too much they don't understand and they are timid and easily brushed aside," Judy wrote.
The pediatrician ended up diagnosing Angelina with a chest infection and would not clear her for surgery. This would move the operation back a few weeks -- time Jusilyn didn't have since she was needed back home to help her family with their farm.
Trevor and Judy, however, have connections within the hospital and a nurse told them she would call the surgeon directly to see if the operation could be made sooner. The surgeon told her if the child's cough was gone by Monday, he could do the operation then.
Please pray that Angelina can heal from her infection soon so she can get the operation that will help her eye sight.
Angelina, age 6, has cataracts and is in need of surgery. Her mother, Jusilyn, along with her friend Ubiliya, arranged to meet missionaries Trevor and Judy Clarke to begin the process of fulfilling all the requirements for Angelina to have her operation. If Angelina passes, a surgeon will operate on her for free.
"Our first attempt at crossing a main road at a T-crossing was a freak-out," Judy wrote. "Jusilyn stopped in the middle of three-way traffic. … I went straight back to her. Trev's yelling for me to get her and I'm literally dragging her off the road. The first day in this city was very hard on our girls. We got them food and settled them into their area at the hospital as quick as possible."
While Judy and Trevor were trying to help get Angelina into surgery, one of the nurses asked if the girl had a cough. To the surprise of Angelina's mother and the missionaries, the little girl proceeded to cough, something they never heard her do before. The nurse told them that if she had a cough, she wouldn't be able to have the surgery.
This meant another trip to another part of the city to see a pediatrician as to whether or not Angelina had a chest infection.
"There is no way [the tribal] people could come out here and deal with a city on their own. There is too much they don't understand and they are timid and easily brushed aside," Judy wrote.
The pediatrician ended up diagnosing Angelina with a chest infection and would not clear her for surgery. This would move the operation back a few weeks -- time Jusilyn didn't have since she was needed back home to help her family with their farm.
Trevor and Judy, however, have connections within the hospital and a nurse told them she would call the surgeon directly to see if the operation could be made sooner. The surgeon told her if the child's cough was gone by Monday, he could do the operation then.
Please pray that Angelina can heal from her infection soon so she can get the operation that will help her eye sight.