There wasn’t a dry eye in the room as a missionary-surgeon from the Philippines, now working as a missionary in the Democratic Republic of Congo, told fellow doctors about his extraordinary situation.

Dr. Felicidad C. Felicilda tries to hold back the tears as he recounts his story

He was Dr. Felicidad C. Felicilda, a speaker on the second day of the World Christian Doctors Network (WCDN) 8th Annual International “Spirituality and Medicine” Conference held at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre (June 11-12, 2011) and he spoke about the extraordinary circumstances he faced as his wife, Rhodora, a nurse-midwife, lay before him on an operating table in the Congo.

His talk was entitled “Shock After Cholecystectomy.” (Cholecystectomy is the surgical removal of the gallbladder.)

He began by saying, “On the operating table lay the woman who believed, loved and followed me to the end of the world. As the knife I held touched her flesh, it is as if the wound was inflicted on me. I could feel her pain – the excruciating pain she suffered every time she had an attack. This pain must end.

“The gallbladder was exposed, inflamed, with a lot of adhesions. Meticulously, we cut the adhesions trying to reach to the bottom where we can see the arteries and the common bile duct. The pain inside me was too much to bear and tears started to flow from my eyes but I held on. The duct was exposed and we cut it.

“The gallbladder was removed, and then I asked permission to get out and let them [the other doctors] continue because I just had to cry. I cried to God and thanked Him that He allowed us to be worthy to receive a part of His pain. I resolved that whatever may happen, as long that God can still use us in the Congo, we will stay. Six hours after the surgery, my wife was walking already. God never did leave us nor forsake us…”

Dr. Felicilda pictured with his wife and their two children (She has now fully recovered)

The doctor, who is an Otolaryngologist (Head and Neck Surgeon) then added, “The gallbladder operation went well. Six hours after the surgery my wife was walking already. However, one day after the surgery, she had palpitations. During auscultation, the heart rate showed that it was very fast. The problem in Congo is we have no cardiac monitors. Not even an electrocardiogram or medical diagnostic instrumentations to evaluate her condition.

“The heart rate went to 230 beats per minute and the blood pressure kept on lowering. You see, when the heart beats too fast, it only pumps a smaller amount of blood than the normal to be circulated to the rest of the body. We were in panic and we thought that there was bleeding or dehydration but we operated on her. I was there. We were sure there was no bleeding.

“We just prayed and tried our best to control the situation to the best that we could do according to what measures were available to us. This happened on September 30, 2009. The pharmacies were already closed. Emergency drugs were not available. I informed my children about their mother’s condition. My wife was sweating profusely. A flashback of what happened to me during my heart attack occurred in my mind. I just cried out to the Lord for help and thanked Him for the privilege of serving Him in the Congo.

“My wife is just a dutiful partner who followed me wherever I went. God knows our heart so I asked for a miracle that God will just touch her and she would recover. Where we were based, there is no ICU, no cardiopulmonary clearance because no adequate medical specialist is available to handle the situation.”

Doctors listening in rapt attention to the doctor’s presentation

Dr. Felicilda then posed the question to the 220 doctors and medical professionals at the conference, who by then were hanging onto every word he said.

“What could I do?” he asked. ”Basically nothing, except pray. My children suggested we airlift my wife to a big hospital. Where? What plane would I use? What money could I use? I do not want anything or anybody to make me complain or hate God. God has been good to us and I believe that He will never leave us nor forsake us.

“The whole night, Rhory’s [her shortened name] condition did not change. I just keep singing ‘Amazing Grace’ and I kept on reciting Psalms 23. I embraced her feet as they were cold, due to decreased circulation to her lower extremities. I kept embracing her until I fell asleep.

“In the morning, she touched me on the shoulders and I woke up. I took her pulse and her heart rate and blood pressure, and by God’s grace, it turned out to be normal. The blood pressure gradually started to increase. She asked for food. God is good. She is now completely healed.

“Please continue to pray for her. We thanked the Lord that we became partakers of His pains so that we can also experience His great miracles. Whatever may happen we promise that we will not abandon our calling to the Congo. To God be the glory!”

As he finished his presentation, the room erupted into applause as his medical peers stood to show their appreciation of what he had told them in such a moving way.

Note: WCDN is an interdenominational organization based in Seoul, South Korea, and is composed of Christian medical professionals from around the world who believe in divine healing. Their website is: www.wcdn.org