Last Friday night, I accompanied my brother-in-law to the ER of a nearby private hospital. While waiting, a woman called my attention asking if I could help her put down her bed as it was raised up. I then called a nurse. After the nurse left, the woman, whom I believed is in her late 50's or early 60's, would keep asking me for the time. I sensed that she'd like to talk so I went near her and I already knew that God is touching me to give her some help. This is her story, as I asked her and as she narrated in tears.
She kept asking for the time because according to her, the hospital would let her go as soon as her blood sugar level go down, that she was only accepted when the nuns allowed her. She is a diabetic. She showed me her left leg that is already amputated. She lives in Luneta, by herself. She begs. She was able to go the hospital because a taxi driver took pity on her and brought her there. She wasn't able to eat properly for days so she was on a dextrose. And she has a wound on her right leg that she was worried about. She kept asking the doctor if they could give her medicine for her wound. The doctor was saying that she has no medicine with her, that her medicines are in her house. But since the woman was insistent, she was given two small containers with cotton soaked in betadyne. She is from Samar. She came to Manila to work as household help until she got sick. She is single. She narrated how difficult it is to live alone in her condition, with nothing to buy her food and medicine. She wanted very much to go home to Samar as she has a brother there. In her desperation, she did ask the bus liner if they could let her ride for free. I asked how much is the fare going to Samar, she said it was 700 pesos. Before this, I already gave her money and told her to use it to buy food and medicine. My brother-in-law is already being discharged so I needed to go. I got her name and told her that I will be praying for her and if there'll be a chance, I may look for her in Luneta. I wanted to pray for her then but there was no more time, so in haste, I told her to pray and have faith in Jesus that He will help her. She said, "Sana nga...", meaning "I hope so".
That night, I told the story to Eve and we prayed together for her. I hope the woman realized that night, that I gave her more than enough so she can go home to Samar. And I am hoping she is now with her brother and family. My mother is also diabetic. However, she already know Jesus and she's not afraid to go anytime. But Amor doesn't know Jesus, yet. And perhaps, I will never know if she will ever get the chance to hear about Him. Nevertheless, I will continue to pray for her. There are people we get to meet just once in our life. Some of them, I believe, happen because of divine providence. To God be all the glory!
