The Man Who Used to Fall

Em 2012, o Amazonas sofreu a maior enchente já registrada, e a ADRA atuou ajudando as populações ribeirinhas afetadas. Naquele ano, escrevi esse relato da experiência de ajudar um senhor em uma das comunidades; era para algum documento de pedido de ajuda da ADRA Internacional, mas creio que nunca foi publicado, então estou postando aqui.


It was a normal day to Mr. Orlando Teles, a tall and strong 59 years old man who lives in the village of Bom Jesus, far in the middle of the Amazon jungle. The cock crowed, he woke up, rising from the hammock, and had breakfast with his two small daughters. He kissed them as they left to school, which is only about 300 feet from their house. Then, he placed his right hand in the cushion of the sofa in order to seat, when he suddenly lost control over his body and felt resoundingly in the floor of the wooden house. Soon, friends came hurried to help.

Although uncomfortable, it was not a new situation to Mr. Orlando, who suffers from a partial paralysis of the left side. Five years ago he had a stroke, and since then, he has fallen several times. To him, simple actions like climbing a step or drinking a glass of water became big challenges. With no proper medical assistance, many friends tried to help giving him every kind of natural medicine, like snake lard, turtle lard and the tea of many species of amazonian plants. With no results, Mr. Orlando almost lost his hope of getting better, and lives restricted to his house; his front door ladder is a challenge too big for him. He stays most of the time seated, at the veranda, sighting the river, the people who pass by the street, and the green jungle beyond.

What was the surprise of Mr. Orlando the next day, when he received a visit from ADRA volunteers, the physical therapist Jaqueline Lopes and the nurse Thainne de Oliveira. It was his first consult with a physical therapist for years. Jaqueline examined him, explained his problem and prescribed a few exercises to help him to slowly gain strength and control over the paralyzed side. She also pointed various items in the home environment that should be modified in order to make it easier to Mr. Orlando to perform his daily living activities and to walk around. Mr. Orlando’s godson pledged to make the recommended changes. The emotion was clear in Mr. Orlando’s eyes when, later, in the same day, he received his brand new pair of glasses, totally free, prescribed by ADRA volunteer ophthalmologist. Now he can clearly read his Bible and contemplate the beautiful landscape outside his window. More than that, he can have the hope of getting better and to not fall anymore.

ADRA. Changing the world. One life at a time.

Gabriel