A village to the rescue
In the Philippines, believers rushed to the aid of Mahi, a Banwaon woman going through a difficult after-birth of passing the placenta.
Because the pilot was away, the woman could not be flown to the city for medical help.
"Our clinic workers and the experienced traditional mid-wives in the village had reached the limit of their capacity to help," missionary Albert Castelijn wrote. "The woman was too weak to ride a motorbike, especially on the rough slippery roads."
The Christians in the village decided they would build a stretcher made of saplings and rice sacks to carry her 44 kilometers (27 miles) to the nearest town for help.
"We were stunned and blessed by their practical love and sacrifice," Albert wrote. "Carry her, they did: 44 kilometers over [a] … rough, slippery, muddy road."
Teams of 12 men took turns carrying the woman on the stretcher until they reached the village.
"More Banwaon believers living in that village rushed to take over from the weary men," Albert wrote.
The believers helped place the woman in a vehicle that would take her to the hospital, another 40 kilometers (24 miles) away.
At the hospital, the placenta was delivered and Mahi survived. She is now reunited with her baby and recuperating before she makes her journey back to her village.
The response to come to the aid of Mahi is a sign that the Gospel is changing the hearts of the Banwaons.
"Sadly, there are still Banwaon people in outlying areas who have long resisted the Gospel," Albert wrote. "We were told of two similar cases … over on the other side of the tribe … where both women died as no one was willing to help."
Please pray that God's love and His truth will become known to unbelieving Banwaons.