AP

All of us struggle with our self-centredness, but sometimes we see how the awesome love of God in our hearts is changing us, enabling us to take risks of love that bring honour to His name.

The Convulsing Man

“Daddy, come! There’s a man shaking in the rain—he’s acting strange!” one of the children shouted as he looked out the front window of our rented house. The rest of the family rushed over to the big window to see rain bucketing down the steep hillside turning the road into a raging river as water cascaded around the hairpin bend. All traffic had ceased in this usually busy town of Murree in the Himalayan foothills. Only a few brave pedestrians sloshed their way through the wind and rain. Across the road inside the few small shops, quite a few locals huddled under cover, waiting for a reprieve in the weather. Their faces and ours were all focussed on the figure at the edge of the road some 5 metres from our house.

There, at the base of a tall metal lamp pole was a man crouched over, clutching his umbrella. His body was jerking violently, until he suddenly collapsed into the swirling water.

My husband, Ian, and our co-worker, Rod, realised immediately what was happening: the man was being electrocuted. The fierce wind must have blown his umbrella against the pole, which had become electrified.

Ian ran inside for his insulated pliers. As he and Rod started slipping on gumboots, my heart pounded. Voicing my fear I said: “Is it safe?”

But they kept putting on their boots, and my heart throbbed as I prayed for protection. From the doorway, the family watched our two men descend the steps to the road and carefully test the water with their boots. Feeling no current, they waded toward the unconscious man. Using the pliers, they pulled him clear of the pole. Then, lifting his limp body between them, they carried him through the drenching rain and laid him just inside our front door. What a relief to be inside again! As a doctor and nurse team, they tried desperately to resuscitate him. But it was too late.

When the rain eased, some locals who had observed or heard came inside. They quickly took charge, called a van and took the man to the hospital. Everyone dispersed and the house fell silent. Then we noticed a single shoe lying on our floor.

A cold realisation washed over us. In Pakistan, accusations often follow tragedy—especially when foreigners are involved. That shoe could become “evidence.” We were painfully aware of stories where grief turned into blame, and blame into extortion. We recalled a missionary family in our community who had been trekking along a mountain trail when a rock dislodged from the cliff above. It struck the wife on the head, killing her instantly. The devastated husband and their three children carried her body back to the road—only to be accused by police of murder and pressed for bribes. We had heard too many other stories to dismiss the danger lightly. Only time would tell what might happen.

As I replayed the event in my mind, my thoughts turned to Jesus’ parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10). The Samaritan risked his life to rescue a half-dead man on a deserted road. He acted, simply because compassion was part of his nature. Jesus is the ultimate Good Samaritan, who calls people to deny themselves, and follow him. That should result in Jesus’ followers becoming more and more like him. Ian and Rod had simply acted out of their love for God and people. Whether the outcome of helping the man would be positive or negative, they wanted to do what was right.

A few days later, Azra, the local woman who helped in our home, spoke quietly as she prepared our vegetables. “News has spread all over the hillside about the electrocuted man. They say that the Christians risked their lives to help one of our Muslims—while the rest of us stood by and did nothing.”

We rejoiced that people recognized the love and compassion that comes from following Jesus. And we thanked the God of the Bible for allowing us human beings, the privilege of serving him in difficult situations so we can fulfill one of Jesus’ commands:

“Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds

and glorify your Father in heaven.”

(Matthew 5:16)

– Dorcas Denness