P-Day Miracle

Return from Fogo

We enjoyed our visit to Fogo and used our extra time to go to a new restaurant and watch the sunset over Brava as we ate.  Remote Brava, where there is no air service because of wind and the ferry only arrives— and departs— a few times a week.

Medical Miracle

Monday is p-day in our mission.  The elders look forward to a game of soccer or basketball.  So Monday is also the day that we have sports injuries.  We have had some exciting p-days, one Monday two elders, on two different islands, broke their toes playing soccer.  This past Monday we had an unbelievable accident followed by an extraordinary miracle.

The accident itself is hard to describe, it happened on Brava.  The injured Elder was from Angola, and his companion was from Utah.   The Elder from Utah called about twenty minutes after the accident.  He had difficulty describing what had happened, but they were playing soccer and there was some sort of fall from about chest height, with the Angolan Elder landing on his head and neck, and remaining unconscious for a short time.  He then arose from the ground and was able to walk and to speak clearly.  He also had quite a headache.

The Elder from Utah was stunned.  He felt he should calm his companion, to get him to move slowly and carefully, and to take him home for hydration and rest.  When he called I assessed the situation, wondering how such an apparently violent accident could result in an Elder who was still alive and fully functioning.  I encouraged the Elder from Utah,  who could have been nothing less than inspired in his actions to care for his companion.  He was doing exactly the right things, and he was not an MD, he was an eighteen year old man from Utah.

I instructed them to continue to rest and to call if the injured Elder vomited.  An hour later they did call, for that reason, and I contacted the doctor in Germany, Elder Done.  He phoned the Elder on Brava and identified the seriousness of the situation.  It was serious.   There is very little medical help available on Brava.  He suggested exactly what the Elder from Utah was doing and we all remained watchful.

It has been over twenty four hours and the Elder from Angola is mentally alert and physically intact.  It hurts when he walks, it jogs his brain.  But he is otherwise whole.  I think perhaps we have just witnessed an amazing miracle.