Blood that Saves Life

I am really enjoying the experience of living at a half house half medical clinic. We often have patients from Maluku come over by ship for urgent operations that cannot be performed over there. At the moment we have nine people. They have darker skin, wide feet and wide smiles. I am constantly amazed at their lack of contact with technology, yesterday I had to show how to access water from a water dispenser!

My roommate and close friend Meldy who is responsible for caring for these patients between our house and the hospital sent me an urgent text requesting anyone from my office with blood type O to come straight to the Red Cross clinic [Indonesian equivalent]. Laohin, a 27 year old with cancer has been living with us for a few weeks and needed four people to donate blood immediately. Thus I began to inquire staff members if this was possible. I was overjoyed at the immediate response by staff members with blood O. Several had given blood recently and were unable to give blood. One came straight from work over 30 minutes away to give blood. Because we were still short we rung up Compassion (other partner organization in Manado) who quickly arranged for 2 people to come and give blood. Meldy was overwhelmed by the response by so many professional looking people. He feared that he would not be able to find enough people to donate since he is from Maluku and doesn’t have many friends.

As I reflected on this experience I smiled at the thought that Laohin (pictured right) will never know who gave him life saving blood, just that it was three people willing to sacrifice their time and blood to help another. As a Muslim who reveres Nabi Isa it is fitting that it was another person’s blood that gave Laohin life!