One More Yes

“For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” —Mark 10:45 (NKJV)

On August 20, while we were on our way to Sitio Camague, we received a message through Kuya Joie, our guide for the house-to-house visitaton. It was from one of the church members in our mission field. He needed help. His wife had just given birth through a cesarean section, and he needed to process important documents. Since he had to leave, he asked if someone could stay with his wife and their newborn baby at Bayawan Medicare Hospital.  He specifically asked for the missionaries.

As we walked, one word suddenly came to my mind: sacrifice. I wondered, “Can I really do this?” Em-em could not enter the hospital because of a previous traumatic experience there, so I decided to step forward.

When Joie asked if I knew how to change diapers for both the baby and the mother, I confidently answered, “Yes.” But deep inside, I was afraid. I had babysat before, but caring for a newborn and a mother recovering from a cesarean section was completely different.

At around 3:00 PM, we arrived at the hospital. Kuya Marv, the baby’s father, was already waiting. Em-em and Joie stayed outside to support me because they knew how nervous I was. When I entered the room, I saw the mother and baby lying on the bed. The mother looked pale and weak. I approached her and asked, “Are you okay? How are you feeling?”

It was my first time caring for a patient as a watcher.

I had only brought my sleeping bag, thinking I might get some rest on the floor or a chair.

But the night turned out to be very different from what I expected.

Every time the baby cried, I immediately checked on the baby. I also monitored their temperatures. Then I noticed that the mother was freezing and had a fever.

I quickly called the nurse, who instructed me to wipe her with a wet towel. As I cared for her, I quietly prayed, “Lord, please heal her.” I fed her when she needed help, assisted her whenever she had to get up, helped change her diaper and clothes, and cared for the baby. Everything felt new, and honestly, I was getting tired. There were moments when I thought, “Lord, this is harder than I expected.” But whenever the tiredness began to take over, I remembered the word that had come to my mind earlier that day: sacrifice.

The next day, August 21, the family decided to return home to Dawis, where the mother could continue recovering at a primary hospital. I thought my part was finished. But Kuya Marv asked for another favor. Because the mother still needed rest and her wound was healing, he asked if my partner and I could bring the baby to the hospital at 8:00 AM and 4:00 PM for antibiotic injections. The baby was slightly yellowish and still needed medical attention. Again, I had a choice. I could have said, “I’m tired. I already did my part.” But I remembered sacrifice.

So again, I said yes.

I thought I was going to the hospital because they needed a missionary. But that night, while caring for a weak mother and her newborn baby, God showed me that missionary work is not always about preaching from a pulpit. Sometimes, it is holding a crying baby when you are exhausted, caring for someone who cannot care for herself, or saying “yes” one more time when you already feel like you have given everything.

I went there thinking I was giving my time to someone else. But I came away realizing that God was also doing a work in me. He was teaching me that true sacrifice is not about how much we can give when we are strong—it is about being willing to serve when we are tired, afraid, and outside our comfort zone. That night, I learned that courage is not the absence of fear. It is choosing to say yes even when you are afraid. And if He calls me again, I pray my answer will always be the same: “Lord, here I am. I’m willing. Use me.”

Name: Jaquilyn Granzo/66th batch

Mission Field: Dawis, Bayawan City, Negros Oriental