"Come here, Rosel, " one nurse co-worker grabbed my attention. She was seeing a young man whose left foot was all red on the sole and around the ankle.
Sitting on the beige plastic chairs, he crossed over his left leg over the right, to prevent his left foot from touching the floor. He would grimace in pain every time. A visible wound on the back of the ankle was swollen and all around it and on the sole of that foot was very red. The infection must have been there prior to his arrest as he was just booked that same day he requested to be seen by the medical staff.
"What's the perfect diagnosis for this? " asked my co-worker. Ignoring her question, I started delving more to what had caused that massive infected wound.
"Where did that wound come from, Sir?", I asked.
Man: "I don't know. If I knew, I would tell you!" [speaking in an angry tone of voice and he gave me that look like I just asked him a stupid question].
Keeping my patience and calmness despite the disrectful behavior given to me, I asked further, "Sir, I noticed that you also have a lot of scratches on your left calf and shin, did you hit something or have you gotten into some kind of accident?"
Man: gave me another nasty, "trying to scare me" kind of stare, "Didn't I just tell you that I don't know? Well, wait! Yeah, I ran and hid into some bushes and killed two people. I got out and got these scratches to kill some more. Like that answer?"
That was the time when the deputy who was tall and a big guy stepped in, in front of that inmate's face, angry himself about the display of a rude behavior to medical staff. The deputy waited for me to finish when I answered that inmate, still in a gentle tone of voice, I said,
"Sir, if you think you can scare me with the way you responded with my question, you're wrong. I don't want to tell you what can happen if you're very disrespectful to any staff here because you will definitely tremble. I've been trying to ask you a lot of what seem to be stupid with you kind of questions, but to us, medical staff, your answers would truly help us in evaluating your infected left foot accurately and so, we can treat it with the best option to stop this infection. If you don't want to help me out, that's fine. But if you end up losing your left foot, don't blame us."
We are not here to find out why you're incarcerated. We are here to address any medical problems. I don't know what you've gone through, but one thing is for sure, we didn't cause any of your troubles."
As soon as I finished speaking, the deputy started yelling at the inmate who tried to fight with the deputy. When he looked back at me, this time, he was the one who looked afraid and embarassed. He couldn't look me straight in the eye. He started cooperating with my co-worker who was initially seeing him.
"Cellulitis! It's cellulitis!," I told my co-worker. "Just have our doctor see him when he comes in a few hours so he can give this man some antibiotics."
The man said "thank you" to my co-worker. He passed by the door and saw me in front of the computer. I was finishing a doctor's order. He bowed his head down and started walking away, limping a bit and still grimacing whenever his left foot touched the floor.
He knew that he didn't terrify me at all! But he left with a different attitude, one that was more submissive to authority.
He knew I have the big deputy to protect me. But what he didn't know, I have a "Protector" Who is there with me all the time. That was the reason why he would not terrify me!
1 Peter 5:8 -"Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour."
Psalm 3:3 -"But you are a shield around me, O LORD; you bestow glory on me and lift up my head."
Romans 8:31 -"If God is for us, who can be against us?"
Ephesians 6:10-17 -"Finally, let the mighty strength of the Lord make you strong. Put on all the armor that God gives, so you can defend yourself against the devil's tricks. We are not fighting against humans. We are fighting against forces and authorities and against rulers of darkness and powers in the spiritual world. So put on all the armor that God gives. Then when that evil day comes, you will be able to defend yourself. And when the battle is over, you will still be standing firm. Be ready! Let the truth be like a belt around your waist, and let God's justice protect you like armor. Your desire to tell the good news about peace should be like shoes on your feet. Let your faith be like a shield, and you will be able to stop all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Let God's saving power be like a helmet, and for a sword use God's message that comes from the Spirit. "
He was sleeping quietly right there on the green mattress on the cold floor. Covered with the beige blanket, he looked peaceful. He was kept in the jail's medical clinic since coming back from the hospital. He was treated for having alcohol withdrawal symptoms. Medical staff was monitoring him until he would be more stable to return to his housing unit.
Whenever he tried to turn, his bilateral feet and hands started tremoring still. But not as much when he first got sent to the hospital. His arms and face with scattered sores, hair looking disheveled, he reeked of alcohol.
Those tremoring feet had wandered miles and miles away, searching for any kind of food and any form of shelter. He would sleep under the bridge, in tunnels or other make-shift tents from cardboard boxes to fight off the cold air circulating when nighttime came. He resorted to drinking more and more alcohol as his body started craving for more and more each day. He felt good as the alcohol would keep him warm especially on cold, winter nights.
Committing minor crimes, he learned that he could have a temporary shelter when incarcerated. Warm food was provided and at least, he could shower. He didn't need to worry about where to spend the night since he would get his own bed in a cell, at least temporarily, he had a "home". Except with the stoppage of alcohol while inside the jail, his body started having withdrawal symptoms like tremors, hallucinations, or fever.
He got up, still shaking and wobbly-like, he came by the glass partition window and asked for a plastic cup. He took some water and trying to stabilize his hand with the cup, he drank a small sip, followed by another and few drops of water spilled on his shirt and on the floor.
Trying to assess his orientation to person, place and time, one nurse asked him if he knew what was going on. He gave a big, surprising answer, "I think I have Parkinson's." [Parkinson's is a disorder of the nervous system characterized by tremors and impaired muscular coordination].
It might have sounded funny but the answer only meant two things: either he was in denial that he was an alcoholic or his mind was totally incapacitated to think straight because of the alcohol's effect with his mental ability.
There are lots of homeless people all around us now as a result of this weakened economy. Some have mental health problems, others are run-aways. You'll see them in "skid rows", under bridges, bushes, tunnels and other places where a temporary shelter is available to keep them from sweltering heat of summer days or blistering cold on winter nights. They go from one place to another.
But wait! There is also "Someone" Who has been wanting to find a "home" in all of us. He wants us to answer to His constant knocking on our doors - the doors of our hearts. He is hurting, too, because He wants all of us to be saved from "eternal fiery destination." Sins separate us from Him, but when we open our hearts, paired with our trust and belief, He gives us a big surprise of "eternal life".
C'mon, I challenge you, for those of you who haven't placed your trust in Jesus Christ, to listen to this song. It's not a coincidence that you have passed by my site. And when you truly mean to repent for your sins, "open your hearts' doors and make them a "home" for Jesus...Stop being in "denial" that you can do everything by yourself!
Opening your heart to Jesus is as simple as saying this prayer and mean it from your heart:
"Dear Father, I admit that I am a sinner. I believe that the Lord Jesus Christ died for me. I trust Jesus Christ to forgive my sins right now. Let me start a new and meaningful life with you today. Amen."
I give you thanks, O LORD, with my whole heart; before the gods I sing your praise; I bow down toward your holy temple and give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and your faithfulness, for you have exalted above all things your name and your word. On the day I called, you answered me; my strength of soul you increased.
All the kings of the earth shall give you thanks, O LORD, for they have heard the words of your mouth, and they shall sing of the ways of the LORD, for great is the glory of the LORD. For though the LORD is high, he regards the lowly, but the haughty he knows from afar.
Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life;you stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies, and your right hand delivers me. The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O LORD, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands.
Tired from spending the whole day in Universal Studios on January 9, 2004, we were on our way home as the amber glow of the sun started to rest on the western skies.
Laughing and telling stories with each other, my husband suddenly veered off the third lane and tried to avoid a metal object along his path. He saw the other cars actually did that before his turn came to be near that metal spike lying along the center of the 4-lane highway.
Ten seconds after that turn, everyone was just looking into our SUV as if something was wrong. We started wondering why everyone was looking at us as if we had some kind of problem when we didn't even feel anything wrong with our car.
My husband decided to get off on the nearest exit. As he parked on the gravel area, lo and behold! we saw it right on our own very eyes that the rear wheel on the driver's side slowly let out air and became flat. The SUV tilted a little bit to the left because of that. Nothing amazing right if you just had a flat tire?
Well, not if your tire looked like it was slashed with a huge knife all around it.The jagged-torn rubber looked as if our tire was vandalized. What was puzzling to us [up to this day when we recall it], was: how come the tire continued to run with air, when it already had a gaping, huge hole around it and that, my husband who was driving the car didn't even feel anything wrong, not even a vibration the whole time we were running and everybody driving close to us was just staring!
Deep in our hearts, we knew the Lord's hands lifted that tire and carried us through that trouble and kept us away from harm!
Lord, today, I want to recall that event because I knew that You were the One Who protected us and kept us safe! We were not lucky! We were blessed because of Your faithful promises! I want to declare to everyone who will come by here how faithful and true Your promises are! Thank You Lord for Your everlasting kindness!
This was the short song I wrote that day when we got home and I wanted to praise the Lord:
There he was, cramped up in a tiny, dark cell Hiding his face with hands, drops of tears fell Tracing back the memories that put him behind these bars Tough as he looked before, his pride now starting to melt away
Hopelessness wrapped him, there was no doubt! Shadow of fear that lurked, not sure of what would happen Sleepless night that had seem to begin for him As he watched his back, while others stared and were observing him
A tiny light coming from a small window caught his eyes It was a little glimpse of hope, to see freedom which was outside As more tears had fallen, he felt a stab of pain or two in his heart He bowed his head and softly whispered from his broken heart:
“Dear God in heaven, I don’t know what I have done I thought I can do everything and I don’t need you in my life I never believed in You, because I was busy with my own desires I just killed someone, aside from other bad things I committed with my own hands"
"God, whether You’re there or not, I have noone to talk to, You see I just want to say “forgive me for my sins, Jesus, I’m really, really sorry” “Jesus, please help me, and please save me if You can hear me!” Not sure if his plea was heard from heaven, but his worries started being lifted from his shoulder
The weary man with the orange suit like everyone else climbed up on his tiny bed Covered himself with a brown blanket, and felt the cold on his back Closed his eyes, puffy from all the tears shelled He didn’t know he just received “freedom” when he repented and opened his heart to Jesus
None of our righteous works will get us to heaven
For the Bible says they're filthy as "rags"
Whether we do good or bad, it's only through Jesus
When we make our relationship right with God
God sent His only Son to be with us and Jesus paid for the price
Yes, He suffered, was nailed and died on the cross
You must believe that for our sins, He was the ultimate sacrifice
If you have no way out, approach Him with a contrite spirit and a broken heart
The prisoner's mind began to wander, oh how he longed for the good things outside Freedom to him meant not being behind those metal bars and tiny cell for the rest of his life But he wasn't aware of this fact: That many people enjoying their lives outside are still prisoners
And he had gained eternal life and freedom from sins through the blood of the Lamb
"Who's the prisoner now?"
RRRS 05/01/09 0500 hrs.
Romans 10:8,9 -"But what does it say? "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart" (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved."
Psalm 98:2 -"The LORD has made his salvation known and revealed his righteousness to the nations."
Psalm 51:7 -"The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise."
John 14:6 -"Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."
Ephesians 2:4-9 -"But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.
