A Touching Experience
In the late evening of 28th June 2009 Sr. Caroline Kalondu and I dropped off a Sister from another Congregation at Carlo Liviero Home in Embu about 25 minutes away. We never imagined that within a short time the Lord would use us to save a life. As we neared the entrance of our gate off the main road, we saw a large crowed gathered around a man lying flat on his back moaning and writhing in pain. A motor bike was turned over evidence that an accident had occurred though there were no other vehicles in sight. We later learned that three men had been riding the motorbike and were hit by a matatu coming from the opposite direction while trying to overtake another vehicle.
At closer range we saw a huge gaping wound below the knee with two bones protruding through the flesh amidst a pool of blood. “Please, Sisters, help us. He needs to go to the hospital urgently or he’ll die”, were the pleads of the concerned friends. God never does things half way. In the crowd we recognized Philip our driver and Silas one of our new Salesian Cooperators who happened to be at the scene of the accident at the time. The man was placed carefully on his back in the car groaning intensely while Silas Njoka and one of the other riders accompanied him. Philip Kithumbu took over the wheel maneuvering like a Safari Rally driver focused on only reaching Embu hospital in time. Upon arrival we carefully lifted him onto a trolley. Noticing that he was conscious, I asked him his name to which he replied “George”. He suddenly said, “Sister, I’m a Catholic. I went to Church and communion this morning.” (It was Sunday.) We wheeled him into the casualty area where he was attended to immediately.
After some time I went in to see him. I learned later that he was 38 years old and a father of two from Piu. He was calm now as the bleeding had stopped though he was on the drip. He looked up and said, “Sister , I think I’m going to die, but I’m ready to meet God. I’m at peace.” He repeated again about going to communion that morning and that the three of them had gone for the installation of the new Bishop of Muranga Diocese the previous day. We spoke to him saying that maybe God wanted him to live. He simply replied peacefully that he was ready to meet the Lord and that he knew God would care for his family.
I put my hand on his shoulder to reassure him. He looked up suddenly and said that my touch reminded him of the readings of the day - Jesus’ healing hand on Jarius’ daughter and the woman who had a hemorrhage for years. It was amazing that a man who had been injured so seriously could be so in touch with the Word.
In the course of our conversation I discovered that he had studied at the Salesian Technical School in Makuyu and at Boys’ Town in Karen many years ago! George later left Embu Hospital and was operated on in a special hospital in Nairobi. He is now home on the long road of recovery of walking again. Did Don Bosco send us to George that evening?
Sr. Virginia Bickford, FMA
