The Gift of Life分析和总结分析和总结.docx

TheGiftofLife

Thebombslandedinthesmallvillage.Nobodyknows what these bombs were supposed to hitduringtheterribleVietnamWar,buttheylandinasmallorphanagerunbyamissionarygroup.

Themissionariesandoneortwochildrenwerekilled, and several children were wounded,includingoneyounggirl,abouteightyearsold,swhosufferedwoundstoherlegs.

Acouple of hours later,medical help was ayoungAmericanNavydoctorandanequallyyoungNavynurse.Theyquicklyfoundtheyounggirltobeverybadlyinjured,anditwasclearthatwithoutimmediateaction,shewoulddiefromlossofbloodandshock.

Theysawthatshehadtohaveblood,buttheirlimtied supplies did not in clude plasma, so amatchingbloodtypewasrequires.Aquickbloodtyping showed that neither American had thecorrect blood type ; however , several of theuninjuredorphansdid.

ThedoctorspokealittleVietnamese,andthe

nurse spoke a little high-school French. ThechildrenspokenoEnglishbutsomeFrench.Usingwhat little common language they could find,togetherwithalotofsignlanguage,theytriedtoexplaintothefrightenedchildrenthatunlesstheycould give some blood to their little friend shewould certainly die. Then they asked if anyonewouldbewillingtogivebloodtohelp.

Theirrequestwasmetwithwide-eyedsilence.Theirlittlepatient’slifehunginthebalance.Yetthey could only get the blood if one of thefrightenedchildrenwouldagreetogiveit. Afterseverallongmoment,alittlehandslowlywentup,droppedbackdown,andamomentlaterwentupagain.

“Oh, thank you.”the nurse said in French.

“Whatisyourname.”“Heng,”camethereply.

Hengwasquickelylaidonabed,hisarmcleanedwithalcohol,andtheneedleinsertedintohisarm.ThroughallofthisHenglaystiffandsilent.

Afteramoment,heletoutalongsob,quicklycoveringhisfacewithhisfreehand.

“Isithurting,Heng?”thedoctorasked.

H