Thank you all for praying for wee Gio & Seke – the two brothers with dengue fever. I have some very sad news and also some very good news for you. Sorry for not being in touch sooner, usual story. The internet was off during the rain we have been having this week.
I went back to the hospital at midnight on Friday morning to pray through until 4 am. Pastor Adonis was my partner. I checked on Seke, the youngest brother, and he was fast asleep and looked very well. His dad said that he has responded to the medicine and was doing great. His blood platelet level was up and his body was fighting the dengue. The Doctor was there and she said that Seke would be discharged on Friday morning. Praise God!
But when I went to see Gio, it wasn’t so good. He was still heavily sedated and was on all the medicines and the respirator was breathing for him. The worst news was that his urine was full of blood … and that meant his internal organs were bleeding.
I sat with Pastor Adonis and Gio’s dad for most of the night, praying for Gio when the Doctor and nurses were no working on him. It was so tragic to see a wee 6 year old boy in the state he was in. Mary & Anne said that he was a really smart boy who always loved to answer questions first. He was a lovely guy …
…but here he was fighting for his life. I prayed for him and left when the next two pastors arrived at 4am. I went to bed ... and when I woke up I had been sent a text by Pastor Danny -"Sorry to say that little Gio just passed away." This was sent at 5:35am and I read it at 7:30am. I was so saddened and Mary wept when I told her. I immediately sent a text to the family with or love and prayers.
At the start of a meeting I had on Friday morning, I received a text from Winston (who was at the hospital for his prayer slot) saying that they think that they are going to switch off the respirator now because he was showing no signs of life. I couldn't believe it ... Danny had already told me Gio had passed away and I had sent a long text of condolence to the mum & dad! "Oh yeah, the family did asked me why Pastor Mark had sent them this strange text!" Even now I squirm and cringe! Only in the Philippines! Pastor Danny ....... wait till I get hold of you!!
But around 9:30 am Gio left this life. In the end, the sad thing was that it was not so much the dengue that was the main factor in his death ... his weak heart could not cope up and gave in. So sad. We spent some time with the family later in my home and tried to help them in various ways. Yesterday we went to their house with the teachers. They were all devastated because most of them had taught him. We brought all his school things and a certificate that he would have received in a couple of weeks time at Grduation. His loyalty medal is being made as we speak ... that is what he was most excited about.
The family are quite poor and where they live is not far from the river ... and full of mosquitoes. The funeral will be tomorrow (Monday) in the town where the mum & dad come from. We will all go there to pay our last respects.
Apart from the recovery of Seke, there is some good from this tragedy. When I went there on Thursday afternoon, Gio's dad (Gilbert) was in a real state. He was pacing around, confused and so emotional. He had prayed, "God, if you are there please help us." When Winston & I arrived we calmed him down and took control of the situation. We organised blood donors and took the pressure off Gilbert.
When I went back at midnight Gilbert was a changed man! He even looked different. His spirit had changed. As I prayed for Gio in the ICU, he opened up to Pastor Adonis. When he was younger, he gave his life to the Lord in Manila and served the Lord in a baptist church. But when he came back to the province he backslid and went after 'wealth and women.' After he got married he devoted himself to raising his family. God had no place in his life. But now ... this happened to his kinds and in his own words, "It woke me up."
When Adonis and Gilbert went in to pray for Gio, I saw Adonis lean over and grab Gilbert's hand. Adonis told me later that Gilbert started to pray for his son Gio, but half way through the prayer he started crying out to God and repenting of what he had done. Adonis led him back to the Father! Amazing!
Even yesterday, as the body of his son was there in his living room, he was telling me that from this day on he and his family were going to walk in the ways of the Lord. He told me that as he watched his son die, he began to see for the first time how God must have felt as he saw his son die on a cross. He had a revelation of true love and found true life at the point of a terrible death.
So pray for us tomorrow. It will be a hard day for us all ... especially the mum & dad. Thanks for all your prayers. Sometimes, you meet sadness on the journey. It's not easy but we have to pray that out of tragedy ... something good will emerge. In this case it is a repentant father. Please pray for Gilbert as he starts a new life and pray for Pastor Winston as he mentors him.
Thank you for all your prayers ...
Job Giorgio Francois Elducal
26th Jan 2002 - 22nd February 2008
I went back to the hospital at midnight on Friday morning to pray through until 4 am. Pastor Adonis was my partner. I checked on Seke, the youngest brother, and he was fast asleep and looked very well. His dad said that he has responded to the medicine and was doing great. His blood platelet level was up and his body was fighting the dengue. The Doctor was there and she said that Seke would be discharged on Friday morning. Praise God!
But when I went to see Gio, it wasn’t so good. He was still heavily sedated and was on all the medicines and the respirator was breathing for him. The worst news was that his urine was full of blood … and that meant his internal organs were bleeding.
I sat with Pastor Adonis and Gio’s dad for most of the night, praying for Gio when the Doctor and nurses were no working on him. It was so tragic to see a wee 6 year old boy in the state he was in. Mary & Anne said that he was a really smart boy who always loved to answer questions first. He was a lovely guy …
…but here he was fighting for his life. I prayed for him and left when the next two pastors arrived at 4am. I went to bed ... and when I woke up I had been sent a text by Pastor Danny -"Sorry to say that little Gio just passed away." This was sent at 5:35am and I read it at 7:30am. I was so saddened and Mary wept when I told her. I immediately sent a text to the family with or love and prayers.
At the start of a meeting I had on Friday morning, I received a text from Winston (who was at the hospital for his prayer slot) saying that they think that they are going to switch off the respirator now because he was showing no signs of life. I couldn't believe it ... Danny had already told me Gio had passed away and I had sent a long text of condolence to the mum & dad! "Oh yeah, the family did asked me why Pastor Mark had sent them this strange text!" Even now I squirm and cringe! Only in the Philippines! Pastor Danny ....... wait till I get hold of you!!
But around 9:30 am Gio left this life. In the end, the sad thing was that it was not so much the dengue that was the main factor in his death ... his weak heart could not cope up and gave in. So sad. We spent some time with the family later in my home and tried to help them in various ways. Yesterday we went to their house with the teachers. They were all devastated because most of them had taught him. We brought all his school things and a certificate that he would have received in a couple of weeks time at Grduation. His loyalty medal is being made as we speak ... that is what he was most excited about.
The family are quite poor and where they live is not far from the river ... and full of mosquitoes. The funeral will be tomorrow (Monday) in the town where the mum & dad come from. We will all go there to pay our last respects.
Apart from the recovery of Seke, there is some good from this tragedy. When I went there on Thursday afternoon, Gio's dad (Gilbert) was in a real state. He was pacing around, confused and so emotional. He had prayed, "God, if you are there please help us." When Winston & I arrived we calmed him down and took control of the situation. We organised blood donors and took the pressure off Gilbert.
When I went back at midnight Gilbert was a changed man! He even looked different. His spirit had changed. As I prayed for Gio in the ICU, he opened up to Pastor Adonis. When he was younger, he gave his life to the Lord in Manila and served the Lord in a baptist church. But when he came back to the province he backslid and went after 'wealth and women.' After he got married he devoted himself to raising his family. God had no place in his life. But now ... this happened to his kinds and in his own words, "It woke me up."
When Adonis and Gilbert went in to pray for Gio, I saw Adonis lean over and grab Gilbert's hand. Adonis told me later that Gilbert started to pray for his son Gio, but half way through the prayer he started crying out to God and repenting of what he had done. Adonis led him back to the Father! Amazing!
Even yesterday, as the body of his son was there in his living room, he was telling me that from this day on he and his family were going to walk in the ways of the Lord. He told me that as he watched his son die, he began to see for the first time how God must have felt as he saw his son die on a cross. He had a revelation of true love and found true life at the point of a terrible death.
So pray for us tomorrow. It will be a hard day for us all ... especially the mum & dad. Thanks for all your prayers. Sometimes, you meet sadness on the journey. It's not easy but we have to pray that out of tragedy ... something good will emerge. In this case it is a repentant father. Please pray for Gilbert as he starts a new life and pray for Pastor Winston as he mentors him.
Thank you for all your prayers ...
Job Giorgio Francois Elducal
26th Jan 2002 - 22nd February 2008
7 comments:
Peace & Blessings to the Richie family.
My name is Nicholas James a student from Matterseyhall AOG Bible college.
My heart goes out to Gio family and friends at this tradgic time, my prayers are with them.
God knows everything and Gio is safe in his arms, laughing, playing and full of that wonderfull joy, which only God can bring.
I am looking forward to seeing you next saturday as one of John Andrews time members on the Philippines mission.
God Bless,
Nicholas James
Hey,
Love and prayers to u all, especially for his family.
Some things we can't understand bt God will meet all our needs.
Miss u all,
Aunti Vivix
Mark Mary blessings to you Lydia and Josiah too. What a sad story yet through so much sorrow God is revealed in a mighty way. We will remember you (as always) in our prayers as you minister the Love of Jesus to these sorrowing folks. we will remember them in our prayers too that God will Bless them in these tragic circumstances.
Its so good to have on back on line pray this will continue. Auntie Betty Uncle Billy xxx
Our thoughts and prayers are with you today at Sefton,moved by the sad story of this family but believing that God's ways are higher than ours. Trusting God will give you and Mary the right words,to be a blessing to this hurting family. John & Grace x
We will be praying for you tomorrow that all will go well at the funeral.Only the Lord knows why and he allows things that we will never have answers to this side of eternity.Love Mam and Dad
Dear Mark & Mary
I shared this news with the ladies at our Women for Missions Rally at Bulwell today and we prayed for you and the work at Sefton.
God bless you
Margaret (Prayer Secretary).
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