CHAPTER 14 BIRTH OF BREECH BABY
The next unique experience involved an effort to assist in the delivery of a baby. One day, around 5:30 in the evening, Perry and his wife Leries were sitting and relaxing together after a day’s work at the clinic. Physically, they weren’t particularly tired, since only a few patients had come in that day. The fatigue was more mental—a sense of idleness, not knowing what else to do.
That evening, suddenly three people arrived on bicycles and entered their yard, greeting them. They had come to ask for help because of an emergency at home. After a brief conversation, Perry learned that in their home in Kampung Bo Ma Kong (Bo Ma Kong village), a woman had gone into labor around 3:00 a.m., but the baby still hadn’t been fully delivered. The delivery had been assisted by local village women, without a midwife. Hearing this, Perry immediately looked at his watch—it was already 5:30 p.m.
From this explanation, many thoughts raced through Perry’s mind. First, he didn’t know where Kampung Bo Ma Kong was, or how far it was from the clinic. Second, this wasn’t an ordinary case—it wasn’t a simple delivery. It flashed through his mind that this could be a case requiring surgery (a Caesarean section), something only a doctor could perform. Judging from the appearance of these “guests”—dressed all in black with distinct clothing and a keris (traditional dagger) tucked in at the waist—and their distinct accent, Perry could guess they were from the Madurese ethnic group.
Instantly, Perry remembered reading as a nursing student at the Bandung Adventist Hospital School of Nursing a few years earlier, about a case reported in the Majalah Perawat (Perawat magazine). A midwife in Yogyakarta had been fatally stabbed by the husband of a woman who died during childbirth. Perry feared that he might suffer the same fate. He was not a midwife, and the clinic lacked any obstetric equipment. True, he had taken a semester of obstetrics, and during his clinical practice had personally delivered 60 babies without a doctor or midwife—but those were all normal births.
Still, there was no reason for him to refuse to help this patient. A struggle began in Perry’s heart—whether to help or not. He was honestly afraid of losing his life in such a brutal way. Yet, from the perspective of his profession and mission, it would be unethical not to try something, no matter the risk. Referring the patient to a hospital wasn’t an option either due to the distance and lack of transportation. At the time, even in the Singkawang hospital there were no surgeons available. So, he had no excuse not to act. Perry decided to go with them and asked for a moment to prepare himself.
He went into the room with Leries, and they prayed earnestly for God’s help in this situation. Then, leaving Leries alone, he stepped out with his medical bag and rode off with the men on bicycles. Along the way, his mind was plagued by worry. He prayed silently for God’s intervention. There were very few houses along the road. It was getting dark when they finally arrived at Kampung Bo Ma Kong. The village consisted of a cluster of houses facing one another. In front of one house was a crowd—men and women gathered. Perry was taken into one of the houses, already packed mostly with women. Once inside, he asked for the room to be cleared, allowing only the husband to remain. He also requested hot water be prepared in case it was needed.
Now only the husband was with him. Through the house’s windows, Perry saw the place was entirely surrounded. If something went wrong, it didn’t seem like he could escape through the window. On top of that, he didn’t know the “layout” of the village, and it was already dark. All this left Perry with no choice but to fully rely on God in this moment of distress.
He examined the patient, who was in a somnolent state—barely conscious, reacting only when called or shaken, but unable to communicate. One of the baby’s arms was already protruding—dry and wrinkled. A great deal of blood had been lost. The situation was extremely critical.
As he worked, Perry continued praying to God silently, in Batak, so no one would understand. His prayer was no longer structured—it was more like a conversation with a close friend.
He thought hard about what could be done. There was only one option: to rotate the baby so that the head would emerge first. This was risky. First, rotating the baby 180 degrees was no easy task. Second, the protruding arm had to be pushed back inside. Third, all this had to be done with a patient who was already exhausted and at risk of hemorrhage. What to do?
If infection occurred later, it might be treated with antibiotics. But right now, the patient’s life was truly at stake. Perry felt trapped—either choice carried danger. He couldn’t administer a blood transfusion, and even IV fluids weren’t an option. At that time, IVs weren’t standard practice in the clinic.
Perry decided to go through with it—he reinserted the baby’s arm with great difficulty and then attempted to rotate the baby into the correct position. With all his strength and continual prayer, he managed to reposition the baby. Once in place, the baby was delivered easily—a baby boy.
The baby didn’t breathe or cry at first but was still alive. Perry tried to suction mucus from the baby’s mouth and nose—but had no suction device. Without hesitation, he used his own mouth to clear the baby’s airways, sucking out mucus, blood, and other debris. Soon, the baby cried loudly—he would survive. Perry laid him on an old sarong.
Turning to the mother, Perry saw she was extremely weak. He removed the placenta and massaged the uterus to help it contract and stop the bleeding. Still, she seemed to fade and became unresponsive. He kept shaking her and calling her name loudly.
This was the most critical moment. If the baby had died, there might have been no problem. But if the mother died—he feared that keris might pierce him. It was tense. Darkness fell, and the only light came from a kerosene lamp. He couldn’t understand their language; only one or two people spoke a little Indonesian.
After a long effort of calling and shaking, the mother began to respond. Her heartbeat was still detectable by stethoscope, so Perry knew she was alive. He didn’t want to give her any injections carelessly that might lead to accusations if she died.
Perry then asked her husband to prepare thick, hot coffee. She drank it slowly, but managed to get it down. Soon, she became more alert and able to speak a little. Perry placed the baby in her arms, and she smiled, staring at him even though she couldn’t say much yet.
Once Perry felt she was out of danger, he gave her medication to take over the next few days and instructed her husband on what to do. He also told them when to bring her to the clinic for follow-up—if no complications occurred.
After packing his medical tools, Perry headed toward the door. The house was a stilt house with steps leading down. He stood at the door, preparing to address the crowd. A group of people had gathered in the yard to hear him. Only then did Perry realize that his clothes—shirt and pants—were completely drenched. Not a single inch was dry. He was soaked through, as if his clothes could be wrung out. As he began to speak, he felt something sticky on his lips—blood and mucus from when he suctioned the baby’s nose and mouth. Incredible! A truly unforgettable experience in Perry’s life.
Finally, he announced that both mother and baby were safe. He took that moment to encourage the people that if anyone ever needed medical help, they should not hesitate to contact him at the Sedau Adventist Clinic. After that, he took his leave.
When he looked for his bicycle, it was nowhere to be found. Someone told him it had been loaded onto an ox-drawn cart to take him home. But Perry felt uncomfortable riding on that cart—what if the people in Sedau saw him and laughed?
They insisted—they couldn’t let him ride alone through the dark in such a state. Perry, not knowing the area and fearing the night, finally agreed to be accompanied by four men, all on bicycles.
From that day on, people from the Madurese community in Bo Ma Kong began seeking treatment at the clinic. Even the community elder guaranteed Perry that the Madurese people there were decent and that if anyone ever troubled him, they could report it to him for action.
Truly, God works in wonderful ways. These events had a powerful impact—more patients visited the Sedau Adventist Clinic. These experiences also greatly strengthened Perry and his wife, affirming God’s guidance and presence in their lives. It deepened their spiritual walk and prepared them for future service as healthcare workers.