In my lifetime as a nurse, I have seen the dramas of birth, restoration of life, the miracle of healing, and other gracious acts of God and man.
I have also witnessed sad events of my patients dying, and eventually, leaving this earth, as well as others who are brought to the Emergency Room after a violent act, accident, or other man-made and natural calamities.
I also have attended to patients who were rushed to the Operating Room for a life-saving procedure, after having been shot, stabbed, hit by somebody, kicked, or gored by an animal. Yes, I have seen a lot of real drama in my life.
The sanctity of life and other Christian precepts have been instilled in us at an early age. Our parents taught us to love each other, to care for each other, to be kind even to our enemies, and not to bear grudges against each other. Then as we moved outside of our homes, our teachers, the larger circle of friends, the church, and the authorities reinforced these Christian precepts, as well as the rules of the land, and those of other societies.
We also learned as children in our Sunday School classes (or at home) that Moses received the Ten Commandments from God in Mount Sinai.
The Ten Commandments include instructions like: to worship only God, to honour parents, and to keep the Sabbath; as well as prohibitions against idolatry, blasphemy, murder, adultery, theft, dishonesty, and coveting.
The Sixth Commandment states: Do not murder.
This commandment upholds the sanctity of life. Because people are made in God’s image, as stated in this biblical verse: Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness. They will rule the fish of the sea and the birds of the sky, the livestock, all the earth, and the creatures that crawl on the earth.”
Thus, human life has an inherently-sacred attribute that should be protected and respected at all times. While God gave humanity the authority to kill and eat other forms of life, the murdering of other human beings is expressly forbidden, with the penalty being death.
“Whoever sheds man’s blood, his blood will be shed by man; for God made man in His image.”
A drama in life again unfolded on Dec. 26. I knew about it on Dec. 28 after receiving a message from our President Dean Sinco informing us that one of our colleagues in Foundation University was a victim of a violent act, after an altercation with some men in one of the bars in the City.
I immediately went to the hospital where Phil Prins was admitted. Before I went inside his room in the ICU, one of the nurses told me, “Ma’am, his pupils are dilated.” I knew the implication of that statement.
However, I offered a prayer and implored to God to perform a miracle. But the damage was so extensive and Phil eventually died on Dec. 29, on his birthday.
Goodbye Phil Prins. May you rest in peace.
“The Lord gives and the Lord takes away. Praise the name of the Lord.”
Truly, only our Lord can take the life that He has given us.
May those who attacked Phil Prins be brought to justice for what they did.
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Author’s email: nenita.tayko@foundationU.com
