I saw the saddest and most humbling sight I have ever seen in Honduras - or anywhere - yesterday. An old lady came to my house yesterday afternoon and asked to talk to me. She stood at my gate and asked for money. Perhaps she wasn't that old, in fact. Maybe in her 40's, but looked around 70. Getting asked for money is nothing new here - we're white! She had been asking at houses around the neighbourhood and had been sent to the 'White Girl's house'. I explained we don't give money to people who come round. She then went on to say how she needed to have an operation. She looked incredibly sick, her eyes were bright yellow. There was no denying she was ill!! Then she lifted her top and unwound a large piece of material she was using as a bandage around her stomach. As she unwound it my initial 2 reactions were to vomit and cry - both of which I stopped myself from doing! Basically the bandage was holding her stomach together. It was like a lift the flap game. A large flap of skin - and stomach wall was stuck to said bandage and fell open, leaving a hole. But not just a hole, I could see her intestines (LITERALLY) and her stomach and the poo in her bowels - which was not just in her bowels but filling this hole. We're talking a hole larger than my hand. This hole was full of flies that flew out when she opened it, infected. Amanda arrived home at this point and so I called her over and the lady again opened her stomach. This lady's face just showed, I don't know what - humility? anguish? pain? lost hope?
Now, the hardest part is that we can't give money to people who come round. It is just not safe. 2 white girls living alone giving mony to people who come round. Word would spread and we would have the whole town knocking at our door. Yet I knew I needed to help this woman.
So I called our friend Becky. A Honduran girl, bilingual, understands both cultures. I explained to her the problem and asked her what to do. She said to take this lady to a clinic in town, explain the situation and they would send her in an ambulance to a hospital in Tegus - without us having to pay for the treatment - which I simply can't afford!
I went back and explained to the lady I could take her to a clinic that could help her. She said she has been going to another clinic that her been giving her injections. I offered her help, but she didn't want it and walked off.
My heart broke there and then and all I could do was cry! In fact, I have cried for this lady since then. I so wanted to help her. She is clearly going to die soon without help. But, I don't have the amount of money she needs and it just wasn't safe to give her money - and would she have used the money for the operation. I would like to think yes, but you can't be sure here.
So I feel I have let her down. I am going to talk to the Pastor's wife or Lorena's mum this afternoon or tomorrow - they work at the clinic this lady was talking about. Maybe I can give some money straight to the clinic? The look on her face and being able to see straight into someone's stomach and intestines as they stand on the street will be something that will stay with me for a long time.
Please pray for this lady.
No comments:
Post a Comment