The rainbow never sets

growing right to the edge of the beach. We would park the car under one of those trees, and plunge into the sea only a few meters away. The beach was situated in a bay, and there was no surf, and it was quite safe for everyone in the family to swim. We usually arrived about 4 pm and stayed till the sun set over the island of Semau. The only time we could not swim there was in the middle of the rainy season, December till about March, as the water was rather murky and full of stingers. During that time we went swimming near Tenau. We called it 'shelly beach'. There were a lot of beautiful shells, but the sea went deep very quickly, and further out was a strong current. Opposite that spot was the island of Semau, so there was no surf either, but the water was clear and beautiful. Sometimes we would venture in our car further inland on a Sunday, either for a picnic or to visit a student or church. These trips could turn into extraordinary experiences.

One Sunday we went to Baun, towards the south of Kupang, to meet the family of a student, Zacharias Neno. He also wanted us to meet his minister in Baun. We were just sipping tea at his place when a man came rushing in. A man in the village had been involved in a fight and his leg had been badly cut above the heel. He was lying in hospital and was bleeding to death. Could we please take him to Kupang.

I thought of the terribly rough road, and how a bridge over a river had to be repaired before we could drive over it, that he would never make it. Then I said glibly: "My wife is a nurse. She may be able to help."

With that we all went to the hospital. The 'hospital' was a bebak house with a very low thatched roof. We all had to stoop to get inside. As there were no windows, it took some time for our eyes to get used to the dinginess, before we could see a few empty beds. Further down the ward there was a man lying on a bed, and the nurse crouching by his side. Alison had to use a torch to look at the man's leg. It was bandaged, but a bloodvessel must have burst, as everything was soaked in fresh blood. Alison asked for some fresh bandages, but there weren't any.

"Any sheets which could be cut up for bandages?" "There are no sheets in this hospital."

"Where is the person in charge of this hospital?" "On weekend leave in Kupang."

Alison was going to use a piece of cloth in our car, she decided. By then I felt a bit dizzy and left the scene in a rush. One by one our boys and Filus also came out feeling quite squeamish. Finally Alison appeared, and I thought she also looked rather pale.

"I just had to catch some fresh air. It's so dark and stuffy in there. After a while, I will be all right again."

She managed to go back again to finish the dressing. She never undid the old bandage, but tied something firm over it to stop the bleeding. A week later I heard from someone that this person had fully recovered. I told Alison the good news and she was greatly relieved.

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