couple of teenage girls huddled in the corner while a middle-aged man, probably dealing with tuberculosis, coughed continuously into a cloth.
She looked at her watch. Over an hour-and-a-half had passed since Nick had left, promising to return with the list of additional supplies she’d requested. But she needed him now. For some crazy reason, he’d become an anchor in the midst of a storm that was raging out of control.
A man entered the building and strode through the crowded waiting room without stopping. She squinted in the dim light and recognized the father of the young boy she’d pulled out of the ditch. While all the victims from the explosion had been transported to the camp, family members had walked.
He stopped at the foot of the bed. “I’m looking for my son, Asim?”
Paige signaled for one of the nurses to take over for her before motioning the father to follow her toward one of the metal cots set up at the far end of the room. “You can sit down and talk to him if you’d like, though don’t expect him to respond. He’ll probably sleep a lot during the next couple days.”
Samson sat down beside his son and grasped his hand. The boy stirred, but didn’t wake. “Tell me he will live.”
Paige bit her lip, wishing she could, but it was a promise she knew she wouldn’t be able to keep. “I gave him something to help him sleep, so for now he’s doing okay. But you need to know that there is always the chance for infection to set in. And we don’t have all the resources of a hospital, nor a way to transport him right now.”
Deciding which patients to send on the plane with Nick had churned the guilt already raging inside her. She hated feeling as if she was playing God, but the situation had left her no choice. No landing lights at the camp meant that if Nick didn’t make it back before the sunset, he wouldn’t be able to return until tomorrow. Which also meant that this late in the day, transporting a second group of patients by air was no longer an option. Those left at the camp who still needed transportation were also the ones who weren’t stable enough to make the difficult three-hour trip on the pot-holed Kingani road. And after dark, the trip became even more dangerous.
Nor would she mention to his father that Asim’s malnourishment was a negative factor in his recovery. Samson was no doubt already facing his own guilt over the situation.
The man’s dark eyes pleaded with her. “You cannot let him die.”
Paige shoved every ounce of courage she could find into her voice. “The God I serve is a God of miracles, and I’m praying for one for your son tonight.”
“My wife never misses a Sunday at church.” Samson dropped his gaze. “But her faith — or her God — did nothing to save her when the rebels raided our camp.”
Paige pressed her palms together. How did she respond to someone who’d just lost everything? And why did the truths of a peace that passed all understanding and God working things together for good seem suddenly hollow at the moment?
I know you’re there, Lord. Increase my faith and give this man a miracle so He can see you working in his life. “Where is your wife?”
“I don’t know.” Tears welled in the big man’s eyes as his gaze dropped to the floor. “My wife … my three girls … They all disappeared that night. You … you must know what they do to the women they capture …”
He broke off, and Paige felt the sickening reality of the situation intensify. She knew enough to realize that a high percentage of the women and girls who’d arrived here had been raped, many of them more than once. And even the safety measures put into place within the camp were not enough to completely stop the violence.
“I am so sorry. I honestly can’t imagine facing what you’re going through, but for now, you and your son should be safe. And we can pray that the rest of your family makes it here soon. I heard that there have already been several reunions of family
She looked at her watch. Over an hour-and-a-half had passed since Nick had left, promising to return with the list of additional supplies she’d requested. But she needed him now. For some crazy reason, he’d become an anchor in the midst of a storm that was raging out of control.
A man entered the building and strode through the crowded waiting room without stopping. She squinted in the dim light and recognized the father of the young boy she’d pulled out of the ditch. While all the victims from the explosion had been transported to the camp, family members had walked.
He stopped at the foot of the bed. “I’m looking for my son, Asim?”
Paige signaled for one of the nurses to take over for her before motioning the father to follow her toward one of the metal cots set up at the far end of the room. “You can sit down and talk to him if you’d like, though don’t expect him to respond. He’ll probably sleep a lot during the next couple days.”
Samson sat down beside his son and grasped his hand. The boy stirred, but didn’t wake. “Tell me he will live.”
Paige bit her lip, wishing she could, but it was a promise she knew she wouldn’t be able to keep. “I gave him something to help him sleep, so for now he’s doing okay. But you need to know that there is always the chance for infection to set in. And we don’t have all the resources of a hospital, nor a way to transport him right now.”
Deciding which patients to send on the plane with Nick had churned the guilt already raging inside her. She hated feeling as if she was playing God, but the situation had left her no choice. No landing lights at the camp meant that if Nick didn’t make it back before the sunset, he wouldn’t be able to return until tomorrow. Which also meant that this late in the day, transporting a second group of patients by air was no longer an option. Those left at the camp who still needed transportation were also the ones who weren’t stable enough to make the difficult three-hour trip on the pot-holed Kingani road. And after dark, the trip became even more dangerous.
Nor would she mention to his father that Asim’s malnourishment was a negative factor in his recovery. Samson was no doubt already facing his own guilt over the situation.
The man’s dark eyes pleaded with her. “You cannot let him die.”
Paige shoved every ounce of courage she could find into her voice. “The God I serve is a God of miracles, and I’m praying for one for your son tonight.”
“My wife never misses a Sunday at church.” Samson dropped his gaze. “But her faith — or her God — did nothing to save her when the rebels raided our camp.”
Paige pressed her palms together. How did she respond to someone who’d just lost everything? And why did the truths of a peace that passed all understanding and God working things together for good seem suddenly hollow at the moment?
I know you’re there, Lord. Increase my faith and give this man a miracle so He can see you working in his life. “Where is your wife?”
“I don’t know.” Tears welled in the big man’s eyes as his gaze dropped to the floor. “My wife … my three girls … They all disappeared that night. You … you must know what they do to the women they capture …”
He broke off, and Paige felt the sickening reality of the situation intensify. She knew enough to realize that a high percentage of the women and girls who’d arrived here had been raped, many of them more than once. And even the safety measures put into place within the camp were not enough to completely stop the violence.
“I am so sorry. I honestly can’t imagine facing what you’re going through, but for now, you and your son should be safe. And we can pray that the rest of your family makes it here soon. I heard that there have already been several reunions of family
Similar Books
