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PL859
4th October 2020
It has been a pretty intense week around here, to say the least. Vinod, a 26 year old mission alumni who has been back with us during the lockdown, became ill. As it was not COVID-like symptoms, we were not too concerned and just treated it with rest, care and some mild medication.
On Wednesday, however, everything changed. Vinod's health suddenly plummeted and we quickly scrambled to take him to a nearby hospital. There, he tested negative for COVID-19 but positive for Typhoid. For those unfamiliar, Typhoid is a nasty sickness that has about a 30% mortality rate if not treated on time. The sickness spreads through contaminated food and water and is something we have to face a few times each year.
In Vinod's case, the infection had really taken hold. Tests showed it had spread to his liver, kidneys, tissues and even his brain. He quickly lost consciousness and was rushed in an ambulance to a bigger nearby hospital in nearby Bareilly, some 3 hours away.
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Vinod in hospital in Khatema before being taken by ambulance to Bareilly.
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Having any member of your family in the Intensive Care Unit of a hospital is scary; it can be a time where one may understandably give in to despair. We, however, chose another route...
As a family, we stood in prayer believing deep within that God was in control. We prayed. We fasted. We put our hope in the healing hands of the doctors and the saving Grace of God.
And we were not disappointed.
Most hospitals here are not like the ones in the west. When a patient is admitted, it is expected that a carer (normally a family member) will stay with them. It is the carer's job to collect medicines, pay bills and generally see to the non-medical needs of the patient. In Vinod's case, Sunny and Parwat were there to help. As close friends, rather brothers to Vinod, they would not have had it any other way.
Life for a carer is not easy. The hospital does not provide a bed, meals or a shower. The best one can hope for is a clean patch of floor to sleep on at night. Thankfully, when the call went out for prayer for Vinod, some of our other alumni answered with practical support. Tulsie, who used to work in our workshop like Sunny, arrived within an hour of Vinod's admission to the ICU with blankets and matting to sleep on for Sunny and Parwat. Deepu, Girdhari and Bimal - all old mission boys - also offered their support. We are so proud of the way these boys just dropped everything to be at Vinod's side.
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The hospital floor is far from a comfortable place to sleep.
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Across the world, prayers went up for Vinod. Our children, our staff, old volunteers and friends of the family all rallied together in prayer. While we believe in the healing power of medicine, ultimately we put our trust in God as our Great Physician. There were moments when we wanted to panic and wanted to despair. However, when the doctors told us his paralysis could be lifelong, or that brain damage was possible, we held on to hope more than we held on to panic or despair. It was not easy, but we never let go of hope.
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An MRI scan to see the effects of the infection in Vinod's brain.
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Vinod in the ICU.
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It has been intense. We have all cried for our young brother, our child, our friend. After three days however, God answered our prayers for healing. Vinod opened his eyes, sat up in bed and was even able to speak with Sunny. We were overjoyed. The flood of emotion we felt was echoed in the cheers of joy that quite literally rang out across the mission. Many ran from hostel to hostel and home to home to share the news that Vinod was back!
We cannot express how grateful we are: Grateful to those who have prayed, to the amazing young men who never left his side, to our old mission kids who have rallied and sent funds to help cover the expensive medical bills, to Doctor Umesh Kumar (our dear friend in Khatema) who quickly responded and to all the staff at the hospital in Bareilly who took amazing care of our dear family member. Most of all, we are grateful to God for His great mercy and grace.
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We hope soon to see Vinod up and smiling again soon.
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Vinod still has a long way to go; he is still in critical condition and he could require medical treatment for up to one more month. It is our hope that, in a few days, he will be healthy enough to be able to be transferred back to Khatema where he will be a little closer to home. Until then, we will continue to pray and we ask for you to do the same.
Blessings on you,
Rick, Clifton, Eugene & Priscilla
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For Those Who Pray:
- Please pray for Vinod and his carers.
- Praise God that Aunty Josie continues to improve.
- Pray for Clifton who has some kind of abdominal infection that is causing some pain. He has more tests and an ultrasound on Monday.
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