HVO Story of the Month - August 2004

How many people are brought to Vozandes-Shell when they are on their last legs and there is nothing that can physically be done to help them. This was almost the case with Marcio, ALMOST.

Marcio was a healthy young fellow who, at seventeen, was still studying in his hometown of Taisha in Ecuador's eastern jungle. One day he started to feel not so well - fever, pain and breathlessness began to slow him down. It wasn't long before he could hardly move. Thinking he was going to die, the family took him to the witch doctor hoping he would be able to help. Then they observed Marcio all day to see if he was improving. He never did improve, in fact he deteriorated markedly! When they realized this they decided they had better get him some medical help, quick. As there are no roads in to Taisha, the family brought him out by small plane to the Military Hospital in Puyo. He was in a critical condition and his diagnosis was Sepsis (blood poisoning) and Staphylococcal Pneumonia. He remained in this hospital in a critical condition for three days until the family ran out of money and were told the patient would have to be transferred to the Government hospital, also in Puyo, where he could receive free treatment.

Marcio back on his feet

So on the 30th June, 2004 he was transferred to Hospital Puyo where they just had time to see his critical condition and briefly fill out a transfer sheet before sending patient and family off to Vozandes-Shell, twenty minutes away.

When he arrived in the emergency room at Vozandes it seemed there was no hope for this young man. His fever was high, his pulse was racing, the systolic blood pressure was greatly elevated and he could hardly breathe because of the condition of his lungs - his body was poisoned and he was one sick lad. He stayed that way for a couple of weeks, hovering between life and death. Sometimes he was receiving nine liters of oxygen just to keep him alive, and he was on high doses of antibiotics to try to clear the life-threatening staph. infection. Sedatives were given to help his extreme agitation. He was also hallucinating.

The hospital Chaplain, Jesus Montero, visited every day and would sit at Marcio's bedside reading the Bible and explaining it's meaning to him and the family. For days Jesus could only keep visiting, not knowing if Marcio could take in a single word of what was read. Later, Marcio had two surgeries and following the second his condition began to improve. He could now sit up and listen to the Bible reading about the Lord Jesus-- that He is the Way, the Truth and the Life. The Chaplain also taught what the Bible says about witchcraft and how it is wrong to consult witchdoctors. Marcio's mother is a Christian and was greatly encouraged by Jesus' daily visits and Bible readings.

The first surgery Marcio had was to insert a chest-tube into his right lung to drain away fluid that had collected there. This helped him somewhat but he still didn't stabilize. The second surgery was a laparoscopy to drain fluid from his abdomen and it was after this surgery that his condition started to improve and he was on the way to recovery.

Finally, on 17th July, 2004, Marcio was discharged, taking with him antibiotics. He was back for check-ups on the 19th and 26th and is one smiling young man. He still gets breathless and his pulse races but these aren't causing concern as they will stabilize. He acknowledges that it is only God who has spared his life. The family scraped together $2,000 to pay towards the hospital bill, a substantial percentage of this being for oxygen which is very expensive. The hospital Charity Fund was going to meet the balance of the account but there was a nice surprise waiting. The Llanddulas Methodist Church in Wales had presented a 400 pound sterling check to HCJB representatives on the 18th February this year specifically to help a needy patient in Vozandes-Shell. This church had also helped two other Vozandes-Shell patients in the past. In July we were considering which patient to help and it seemed Marcio was that patient. Subsequently the hospital was handed a check for $640, which has reduced the balance to $1,110.63 for the Charity Fund to pick up. Thanks to all at Llanddulas for your hard work in raising this money and for your generosity in sharing with one needy boy here in eastern Ecuador.