Oct 02 2005
Blood…Essential For Living
Picture this…you are rushed to a hospital following an accident and upon arrival the doctor determines you need a pint of blood, but there is no blood available to save your life. This scenario rarely exists in the United States where numerous people donate blood each day to save the lives of countless people.
Proper storage of blood is essential for it to be useful and made available to those in need. Red blood cells must be stored under refrigeration. This certainly is not a problem in the United States, but travel to areas beyond our borders, such as Africa, and you will quickly discover that refrigeration is a luxury.
At our hospital in Africa, a boy arrived and doctors discovered a tumor growing on his spine. The boy would likely end up paralyzed if the tumor was not removed. Thankfully, doctors removed the tumor safely, but the boy was in need of a pint of blood.
Another doctor arrived in Africa bearing a gift the children soon named, “boom, boom”; better known to us as bubble gum. The doctor stood in the waiting area of the hospital saying, “A+ blood, boom, boom.” A man came forward and just like that, he donated a pint of blood. The blood supplied saved the boy’s life.
Rivers of the World (ROW) staff and volunteers assist in this part of the world in a variety of ways to include annually treating close to 100,000 cases of river blindness, immunizing more than 65,000 children against childhood diseases, and treating cases of tuberculosis and leprosy in the region.
God has imparted gifts and talents to all of us, which should be used to bring honor and glory to Him. In 1 Peter 4:10 it says:
“Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.”
It is a big world out there with many challenges and so many people who are hurting. I encourage you to discover the gifts and talents the Lord has blessed you with then strive to shine forth that light He has placed within you.
To learn how you can be a part of ROW, or to see how God has enabled us to help hurting people worldwide, visit www.row.org.
