CEE Story From The Mission Field
A Real Head-Banger
May 6, 2002
One of the many things a missionary to Russia must adjust to is riding public transportation. It seems that the drivers of trollies and buses don't understand the word "gradual." Typically they start and stop with only two speeds - "pedal to the metal" and "stopping on a dime." Everyone knows this and is accustomed to it, but inevitably someone is caught by surprise and finds that they are at least thrown up against something or someone or at worst thrown on the floor of the vehicle. For most, pride is the only thing hurt; but not in the case of Phyllis Hardie, one of our seasoned IMB missionaries. For Phyllis, a sudden stop and the resulting fall eventually sent her all the way to Germany!
After Phyllis fell, her head was literally driven into the front wall of the bus. She was knocked unconscious by the blow to her head. Her husband, Charles, recalls vividly how the blood ran down the center of the bus as she lay there on the floor. Once he managed to get her off the bus and alert, they decided to go to a medical clinic for care. Unfortunately, the care there left much to be desired, and they wouldn't even look at her without a $6000 cash deposit!
After discovering that an artery had been severed in the fall, they decided to stitch her up, but in the morning she was still bleeding and had developed bruises from head to toe, plus they finally diagnosed a broken finger. Phyllis had a ring on that finger that was cutting off the circulation. The doctor wanted to bleed the finger with a razor. Phyllis wanted the ring cut off. Yes, thank the Lord, she got her way!
Surprisingly, the doctors gave Phyllis permission to leave the country and proceed on to a scheduled mission meeting. After returning home in Siberia, the problems continued and Phyllis visited another doctor. He wanted to "bore a hole" in her head and she politely declined, especially after he refused to wear gloves or wash his hands before touching her wound-and he had just come from seeing another patient!
So having exhausted all local medical care possibilities, arrangements were made to get Phyllis to Germany ASAP in order for her to receive the quality medical attention her injury required. Her wound was still oozing blood and there turned out to be a hematoma the size of a fist. There in Germany, CEE regional staff and German doctors took care of her, got her the medical attention she needed, and eventually helped her heal both physically and emotionally from the ordeal.
It is stories like this one, which demonstrate how God is using CEE's Member Care regional staff to meet the needs of our missionaries. Because the staff members include nurses and professional Christian counselors, they are able to help the region's missionaries with counseling and medical advice as well as setting up doctor's and hospital appointments, consulting with medical professionals for opinions and advice, and providing guest housing for those who come in need of medical attention.
The Member Care team has staff in Prague, Czech Republic; Budapest, Hungary; and Wiesbaden, Germany. They have seen all sorts of missionary needs this year. The Lord continues to use them to help meet vital needs and therefore enabling their fellow missionaries to serve on the field. Yes, life goes on and needs must be met. Accidents happen, babies are born, surgeries are needed and the list goes on. No wonder the IMB has the highest retention rate of any other mission sending agency in the world. Yes, God uses and honors the work of our Member Care team.
Obviously Phyllis and Charles are people of strong faith. Living in infamous Siberia and knowing that western medicine is hours away by plane, every day they depend on God to meet their needs. He has not let them down and they don't want to let Him down. God has met their needs in wonderful ways, and this time, by His grace, He used the Member Care team.