Here in Lesotho, my mom is visiting and she’s spending the morning flying with me, something we’ve only had a handful of opportunities to do together. When a call comes mid-flight that a young boy has been hit by a car and needs immediate medical evacuation to another hospital, I immediately adjust my routing and tell my mom what to expect. Her concern is evident; she even offers her seat if need be, assuring me she’ll be fine, though it means she will be stranded in a remote town in a land she does not know.
Hape and his mom.
It is our policy for a passenger riding along, as is the case with my mom today, to be bumped from the flight in order to accommodate emergencies. I have room for our patient, a 9-year-old, and a nurse accompanying him. However, when the vehicle arrives, his mother is with him also wanting to travel with her badly injured son.
There’s a beautiful moment between my mom and me. We exchange a quick glance as we both realize what’s about to happen. I can almost hear my mom’s thoughts, “Do not deny me this blessing.” The thought of leaving my mom in this village by herself borders on traumatizing, but her look tells me there will be no discussion. This will be a mother for mother trade—one she is ready and eager to make.
Hape (the patient) makes it safely to the hospital where he can get the care he needs, his mom, Realebohile, by his side. And, as the Lord would have it, another medical evacuation flight call comes in just an hour later from the very same village! This time my mom is able to hop into the copilot’s seat and accompany her son (me) home.
Justin’s mom in the copilot seat.
1 Comment
John 3:17“For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.”
John 3:17 Context
14And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: 15That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 16For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.