When I was around three years old, and my little brother Don was just two, my parents decided to accept a teaching position in beautiful Bangkok, Thailand. About a year later, our family grew when my mother welcomed our youngest brother at the Adventist Hospital in Bangkok. At that time, we were living in Ekamai, which was a cozy twenty to thirty-minute drive from where our parents were teaching. Since both of them were busy with their classes, we had a lovely nanny who took such great care of us at home. Each day, we would eagerly wait on the windowsill for my parents to return, and Dad would occasionally surprise us with delicious little round candies that tasted incredible.
My Dad had a wonderful musical spirit! He played the violin and occasionally dabbled on the piano. He even bought an old pump organ for our home, hoping one of us kids would take up playing it. Back then, pianos seemed a bit pricey! The pump organ was unique because it produced sound by generating air through its pedals. When you pressed a key, the air would travel to the reeds at the back and make them vibrate, creating beautiful melodies. This charming organ was snugly positioned at an angle in the corner of our living room, and it became a favorite hiding spot during our childhood games of hide and seek. If you’ve ever lived in the tropics, you know that insects love to say hello. Big cockroaches were quite common, and they had a knack for laying their eggs on the reeds of the organ, which would sometimes cause a few keys to become silent. But my dad never let it bother him; he would just go behind the organ and gently blow out the cockroach eggs, bringing the keys back to life! To help keep the cockroaches away, he placed naphthalene balls at the back of the organ, which worked quite well. Occasionally, those naphthalene balls would roll onto the floor back there!
When my youngest brother, Buddy, was around two years old, he fell seriously ill. His skin had a yellowish tint, he ran a fever, and he lacked the energy typical of a child his age. I recall my mother crying, unsure of what to do. My parents took him to the hospital, and after what felt like an eternity for my brother and me, they returned home later that evening without him. They informed us he was very sick, suffering from blood poisoning, and that he might not have survived if they had delayed his trip to the hospital until the next day. The doctors had performed an incision in his left groin to drain his blood while administering a transfusion through his right groin. He was to remain in the hospital for a few days. Fortunately, someone had donated the vital blood that saved him.
The issue stemmed from the use of naphthalene balls to repel cockroaches. Believing the small white spheres were candy, he had eaten several after hiding them at the back of the organ. His blood lacked the enzyme glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, responsible for metabolizing toxins. As a result, the naphthalene balls could not break down in his system, leading to hemolysis, where red blood cells break down and cause anemia. Depending on the amount consumed, this could lead to acute hemolysis, potentially resulting in multiple organ failure.
After doing some research, I found several case studies of toddlers experiencing organ failure after ingesting mothballs. My father referenced this incident in one of his sermons, which I remember vividly. He quoted, "[God] hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth..." (Acts 17:26 KJV). We never discovered who had donated the blood that saved my brother’s life. At that time, we were living in a foreign country and knew very few people—but one individual stepped forward to donate that life-saving blood so that my brother could survive.
1 Peter 1:18-19 (NIV) says, “For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.”
We all know that God shed His blood for everyone, and sometimes it’s important to remind ourselves of this, especially in today’s world. We are truly all brothers and sisters in Christ. It brings back warm memories of the song I joyfully sang as a child—"Jesus loves the little children, all the children of the world. Brown and yellow, black and white, all are precious in His sight. Jesus loves the little children of the world." We cannot overlook the sadness of political polarization, racism, misogyny, and violence against women and various races. Many of us may feel anxious about the future, but let's find comfort in knowing that God is in control. He’s got this! He is more than capable of handling the world's problems. Just like the song beautifully reminds us, “He holds the whole world in His hands.”1 We need to have faith that overcomes our fears.
Christ’s love embraces each and every one of us. His sacrifice covers us all so beautifully. I truly enjoy the song that says, “In Christ there is no east nor west, there is no north or south, but one great fellowship of love, throughout the whole wide world.”2
Call to Pray
Thank you, Jesus, for your incredible sacrifice for our salvation. Your blood cleanses us from our sins and promises us eternal life. Help us truly understand the profound impact of your sacrifice on each of us. I am so grateful that you loved me enough to shed your blood for me. Please help me show love by loving everyone, regardless of their race, political party, or creed. Let your golden cords of love bind us all together. Amen.
Scripture noted as NIV above is taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.
- Anonymous. "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands." Published in 66 hymnals, hymnary.org/text/hes_got_the_whole_world_in_his_hands.
- William Arthur Dunkerley. "In Christ There Is No East nor West." sdahymnals.com/Hymnal/587-in-christ-there-is-no-east-nor-west.
