God and Dr. Lazaro
I. Summary
Dr. Lazaro was called by Esteban over the phone, the father of a week-old child who had a high fever, a bluish skin and its mouth would not open to suckle—tetanus of the newborn, a hopeless case for Dr. Lazaro. Out of his profession and duty he said he would go. Ben drove for him, in their way to meet Esteban at the station Dr. Lazaro tried to open a conversation with him. He asked Ben what was the book he was reading. Ben told him about it, and he mocked Ben of becoming a regular saint like her mother. He told Ben that perhaps he would go on medicine after his A.B. but Ben was not quite sure about it because he wanted to be a priest. They met Esteban and he led the way to their nipa hut. When they reached the hut Dr. Lazaro saw the baby barely breathing. He injected a whole ampule, and another after. He tried to draw air into the baby’s lungs, pressing and releasing the chest but even as he worked to rescue the child, the bluish color of its face began to turn grey. Dr. Lazaro gave up on the baby. Ben came close to the baby and baptized it by pouring a trickle of water from a coconut shell on the infant’s brow. Dr. Lazaro watched Ben with surprise. Dr. Lazaro told the parents that he cannot do anything about the baby anymore. Esteban’s wife began to cry and the old woman comforted her that it is the will of God. Esteban pressed folded bills to Dr. Lazaro’s hand and thanked him for coming that far and at that hour of the night. When Dr. Lazaro and Ben was on their way home he asked Ben if he baptized the baby and Ben confirmed it. Dr. Lazaro asked Ben what would happen if he did not baptized the baby and the latter told him that the baby will not be able to see God. Dr. Lazaro questioned the teachings of the church. He ceased to believe in God maybe because of the things that had happen to him in the past. The story ended by Dr. Lazaro calling his son Ben, Reverend Father Ben Lazaro with uncertain humor and he asked what should he do to gain eternal
Dr. Lazaro was called by Esteban over the phone, the father of a week-old child who had a high fever, a bluish skin and its mouth would not open to suckle—tetanus of the newborn, a hopeless case for Dr. Lazaro. Out of his profession and duty he said he would go. Ben drove for him, in their way to meet Esteban at the station Dr. Lazaro tried to open a conversation with him. He asked Ben what was the book he was reading. Ben told him about it, and he mocked Ben of becoming a regular saint like her mother. He told Ben that perhaps he would go on medicine after his A.B. but Ben was not quite sure about it because he wanted to be a priest. They met Esteban and he led the way to their nipa hut. When they reached the hut Dr. Lazaro saw the baby barely breathing. He injected a whole ampule, and another after. He tried to draw air into the baby’s lungs, pressing and releasing the chest but even as he worked to rescue the child, the bluish color of its face began to turn grey. Dr. Lazaro gave up on the baby. Ben came close to the baby and baptized it by pouring a trickle of water from a coconut shell on the infant’s brow. Dr. Lazaro watched Ben with surprise. Dr. Lazaro told the parents that he cannot do anything about the baby anymore. Esteban’s wife began to cry and the old woman comforted her that it is the will of God. Esteban pressed folded bills to Dr. Lazaro’s hand and thanked him for coming that far and at that hour of the night. When Dr. Lazaro and Ben was on their way home he asked Ben if he baptized the baby and Ben confirmed it. Dr. Lazaro asked Ben what would happen if he did not baptized the baby and the latter told him that the baby will not be able to see God. Dr. Lazaro questioned the teachings of the church. He ceased to believe in God maybe because of the things that had happen to him in the past. The story ended by Dr. Lazaro calling his son Ben, Reverend Father Ben Lazaro with uncertain humor and he asked what should he do to gain eternal