Friday: Inside Story – Twice Victorious: Part 2
The Villanueva teens joined the Pathfinder Club. The club scheduled an outing to Mount Kitanglad, hoping to earn their mountain-climbing honor.
James Villanueva, 16, eagerly started the six-hour trek up the mountain with his sisters and 12 other Pathfinders. Soon he found himself ahead of the rest and decided to wait. He stepped onto a tree stump to get a better view. Three wires, similar to those strung along the trail to guide hikers, hung above his head. He reached up and grabbed one of the wires for balance.
Image © John Baker from GoodSalt.com
When he saw his sister approaching he turned to swing off the stump. As his feet left the stump, a sharp pain flashed through his hand, and he crumpled to the ground.
James’ sister Nathalie saw him jump. She saw sparks shoot out from his hands as he fell. She raced to where he lay motionless. His hands and arms were so badly burned that the skin was peeling off.
Someone get help! she shouted. James has been electrocuted!
While someone ran for help, Nathalie tore off her shirt to make bandages for her brother’s arms. Toto, the Pathfinder leader, raced up the slippery mountainside. He ordered some Pathfinders to climb to the summit and call for help. He sent the rest down the mountain to summon an ambulance. Toto and Nathalie remained with James, praying that help would come in time.
Three men who worked at the summit came upon the accident scene.. The men rigged a stretcher from a sleeping bag and began the dangerous trip down the slippery mountain.
It was dark when they reached the bottom. They placed James in an oxcart to carry him the two and a half miles to where an ambulance waited. James arrived at the hospital 12 hours after the accident.
Nathalie stayed with her brother until their parents arrived. The doctors wanted permission to amputate both of James’s arms, but Nathalie refused. When her parents arrived, she begged them to have James airlifted to Manila, where he could receive better care. But even there the doctors said that James’s left arm was too badly burned to be saved.
Through the difficult months following the accident, the family could have lost their faith. But prayers and support of the church members helped to hold their faith intact.
James is already planning to go back and conquer Mount Kitanglad to earn his mountain-climbing honor. But in the eyes of many, he has already conquered more than a mountain.
Nathalie Villanueva is the daughter of Napoleon and Lolita Villanueva and sister of James.
Produced by the General Conference Office of Adventist Mission.
Find more mission stories at www.adventistmission.org
I’m so inspired and strengthened by this story that no matter the dificulities of life we must just soldier-on. As much as i’m also going thru personal challenges monetarily, i feel like the angels of heaven have just tapped me on my back and said ride-on brother, He’s at the door, don’t loose power, there’s a greater reward in Heaven. Indeed our God is a solid rock ann all those other grounds are just sinking sands. Thank u Jesus for carrying us on your back when we are weak ,with you we know that weeping will just last for the night, but greater joy is coming in the morning. Thank u for loving us.
This is what we have to do in Gospel. Our circumstances must not stop us from preaching Good news, no matter what we go through but we must know that it’s trick of a evil one. Then this story remind me of a father we worship with, that father is blind but he make sure he come to church because he knows that there’s Jesus who can help him.
praise God breathren, i ill always thk God for wht he does for me en the entire world. God is aliving God he’s contunuing doing us miracles so as we can understand bt wer failing. now here is the tym brothrs en sisters lets come to the house of God , he will cary our burdens en curse thm away.Amen. God bless u all.