Max was visiting his friends at their house talking and eating, when they heard something outside. They looked outside and saw that across the river, a house had caught on fire, and they thought they heard some voices from the house. Without stopping to think or process what was happening, they took off running towards the house. As they did, they heard screaming, someone was inside.
When they crossed the river that night, they found 2 houses, both on fire, but someone was inside and was screaming. The tried to go in, but the door was locked. Looking around for something to help them get into the house, they found a log and were able to break down the door. As they opened the door, the smoke and flames rushed out, and they rushed in.
They found an old woman, trapped inside and pulled her out to safety. Knowing they were far from help, they used an old customary medical practice and rubbed honey on her burns, to try and help. Then they picked up the old mama and carried her to the road, hoping that someone would drive by and would help them take her to the hospital.
It was around 9 pm when my phone rang. I was on call with Spencer, one of our new PNG doctors. He told me, a lady had been brought in who was burned pretty bad, and so I made my way to the hospital. When I got there I found 4 guys huddled around a bed, with an old mama on the bed. One of the guys was in the middle of taking off his shirt to put over her as I got closer to her. I asked what happened, and they didn't really know.
They didn't know this woman, didn't know her name, just heard a fire and someone yelling, and they ran to help her, and then were able to find a ride to bring her to the hospital. I was touched by their practice of being Good Samaritans.
The nurse, nursing students, Spencer and I spent quite a bit of time in the Emergency Room with our burn victim, trying to clean her up and wrap up her burns and get her clean and dry for the night, praying she would make it despite her extensive burns. I assumed that Max and his friends would take off while we were cleaning her up, they weren't family, they didn't know who this lady was, but instead as soon as we were done, they wanted to know where we put her and where she was going to stay. They planned to stay with her. They also asked what did they owe for the ER and bed fee for this woman. I was so grateful for their care of this woman, that I was glad I could say nothing.
A lawyer asked Jesus what he needed to do to inherit eternal life, and Jesus responded, asking "What is written in the Law?" The lawyer said, "You shall love the Lord your God will all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself." The lawyer then asked, "Who is my neighbor?", and Jesus shared the story of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37), to demonstrate who our neighbor is.
This is a story that many of us know, and many of us try and be the "Good Samaritan" when given the chance to do so. I was thankful to have met Max and his friends and hope I can be like them when an opportunity comes my way.