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LIFE WAS GOOD
I knew I was in a war zone — half a world away from where I grew up — but life on the Da Nang base was good. Surprisingly good.
We were safe. That came from being on a massive base with lots of support. Unlike the soldiers in the field, we didn’t have to worry about nightly attacks or ambushes.
My work was fulfilling. I enjoyed helping patients, learning new skills, maintaining the pharmacy, and even caring for our jeep … I mean, our ambulance.
I had time to read, take correspondence courses, and even play an occasional handball game.
Spiritually, I was growing too. I read the Bible daily, memorized scripture, participated in a Bible Study, and treasured my prayer time.
And then …
AN EMERGENCY
One day the quiet life we were leading at our aid station was interrupted.
A soldier stumbled into the aid station, clutching his abdomen. He was burning with fever, suffering from severe cramps and diarrhea, and begged us to do something — anything — to stop the pain.
Doc examined him quickly and decided we needed to get him to the hospital right away. We loaded him onto a stretcher, secured it to the jeep, and I became an ambulance driver for the day.
After delivering him to the ER, I returned to the aid station, feeling relieved that he was in good hands — only to find another soldier was already on the exam table with the same symptoms.
So back to the hospital I went.
By the time I returned from that second trip, more soldiers had shown up. All were from the same unit. And all had the same painful symptoms.
Something was clearly going on.
Doc got on the radio with the hospital.
Soon, we had the answer.
It was something called Shigella flexneri.
Now I had no idea what Shigella flexneri was, but Doc assured us we had the right medication. We treated our patients, sent them back to their unit to sleep in their own beds, and waited.
There were no more ambulance runs that night.
After a little more digging by the medical staff at the hospital, they discovered the cause of the problem. The previous day, the men in the unit had a party. During that party, each of those who became sick had eaten some potato salad that had gone bad.
It was food poisoning.
A LITTLE HISTORY
When things finally calmed down, Doc shared the story behind that particular bacterium.
In 1897, during a dysentery epidemic in Japan, Dr. Kiyoshi Shiga — a physician and bacteriologist — isolated a bacillus from patients’ stool samples. He believed it was the cause of the disease they faced.
To test his theory, he did something we’d never get away with today: he administered the bacillus to his wife.
She promptly developed the illness.
Apparently, that was an acceptable way to test a medical theory back in those days.
The good news for our patients was that all of them recovered very quickly.
ANOTHER EMERGENCY
It didn’t take long to return to the quiet routines of life at our aid station.
But then my peaceful routine was interrupted once again.
There was another emergency.
It wasn’t sick soldiers this time.
This time the emergency was about my family.
I was called to the headquarters office and was told that my dad had suffered a heart attack and could possibly die. The news caught me completely by surprise.
The Army would give me thirty days emergency leave so I could be with him.
I didn’t know the Army did things like that, but I packed my duffle bag, boarded a plane, and headed back to the States.
Even though I was scheduled to return to Vietnam in just a few weeks, on the flight home, the war seemed very far away.
LESSONS FROM MY DAYS IN OLIVE DRAB
There were a couple of lessons I took from this period of my time in the Army.
1. Be prepared. Situations in life can change without warning, whether in a war zone or at home. Do your best in your tasks, whatever those tasks might be.
Along with the other medics, I was able to help the doctor when patients came in. We had all learned how to do our jobs well. We were prepared.
When we had to send patients to the hospital, no one had to worry if the jeep had any mechanical problems. It was my job to take care of that jeep, and I knew it was in excellent working condition and had plenty of fuel.
When we found out what meds our patients needed, no one had to worry if we had those meds. It was my job to see that the pharmacy was always stocked correctly. We were prepared.
I want to encourage you … whatever tasks you work on or are responsible for, learn to do those tasks well. Be prepared.
“Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.”
Colossians 3:23-24 (ESV)
2. Don’t be surprised when bad things happen. I’m sure you all have noticed that even in the safest places, trouble can somehow find a way in. You need to know that God knows everything that happens in your life. You can trust Him to guide and comfort you.
“The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.”
Psalm 34:18-19 (ESV)
A BLESSING
Before I go, I’d like to share a blessing with you from the Old Testament.
“May the Lord bless and protect you; may the Lord’s face radiate with joy because of you; may he be gracious to you, show you his favor, and give you his peace.”
Numbers 6:24-26 (The Living Bible)
Until next time … be the reason someone smiles today.
