E. R.

This happened about a few weeks ago.

I visited a friend who is sick. Her husband was sick, too. We were having a good, afternoon conversation, until the time came that the husband asked to be brought to the hospital for severe stomach pain. We went straight to the E.R. of the provincial hospital with a couple of her relatives and house helps. It turned out that one of her relatives met a friend who was at the E.R. at that time. The chit-chat with her co-teacher took a while that we thought of asking her what was that all about.

Later on, here is the story. Co-teacher passed by a mother and her barely-a-month-old daughter hailing for a ride somewhere along an isolated road. Co-teacher took them to the hospital, but while on the way, of course, a short chat took place. We learned that the husband left them for good and that the infant was having difficulty breathing that's why she's taking her to the hospital.

At the hospital, the co-teacher couldn't just leave them. She stayed there; that's the reason why my friend's relative saw her. Co-teacher bought food for the mother, left some money because the infant needs some tests and medicines. But what co-teacher gave wasn't enough. So relative told us the story. She said the infant was such a beautiful girl. She said that she gave Php 100 to the mother. She was teary-eyed while telling the story because her heart goes for the mother and her child. She said that she wanted to give some more, but she has to think of her child, too.

I couldn't get this story out of my mind. Having gone through a medical condition myself, I feel for people like her. It's a good thing though, that there are still good souls out there who are willing to do something for people they don't know no matter how small this may be.

I told this story to a friend because she's been looking for ways on how to give a hand. But I understand that she's being too cautious on who to extend her helping hand. She doesn't want her hard-earned money to go to the wrong hands.

So, I told her, and now I am telling you, that maybe, the best place to go to if you really want to give a hand is the E.R. of a government hospital. There, you will be sure that people really need money. This is the place where people need to go when they do not want to, when they are not prepared to. This is the place where you can be rest-assured that the hand that you're willing to extend will truly make a difference - a difference as much as between life and death.