Floor Full of Tissues

A woman came to a medical clinic complaining of chest pains and shortness of breath. As Jeanne, a Southern Baptist volunteer from Arkansas, listened to her story the reason became apparent. 

The woman explained that she had come to visit her parents with her husband, 3-year-old and infant when the tsunami hit. Both the husband and 3-year-old were swept away to their death while she and the infant survived. She said through a translator, “I’ve cried until I have no tears left. I cannot sleep and every noise I hear makes me jump and makes my heart pound.” 

It was obvious to Jeanne that the woman was suffering from panic attacks. While Jeanne and another volunteer named Anna prayed with this distraught lady, yet another volunteer tended her infant. Jeanne explained, “We can do many things with medicine, but medicine alone cannot take away the pain you are feeling. That will take time and God.” 

After praying together the woman’s mother showed up and took over tending the baby. Jeanne was able to ask for permission from the mother to meet with this young woman again to just sit with her and pray with her. 

“Oh yes, please,” the mother replied in Indonesian. 

“She was hurting so bad that the only thing we could do was pray and sit with her and cry for her,” shared Jeanne.

“Yes,” agreed Anna. “We had a whole floor full of tissue by the time we were done.”