Patsy Li
One night three natives came through the Marine lines on Guadalcanal, asking for the ”priest-man.” They were taken to Father Frederic Gehring’s tent, where they presented the chaplain with a badly wounded child. He was horrified to see a five- or six-year-old girl who had been bayoneted, smashed in the head with a rifle butt, and consumed now with fever. A corpsman applied bandages to stop the bleeding. A doctor arrived later and was even more shocked at the state of the young girl. She had yet to respond in any way and seemed to be very close to death. The doctor told the chaplain to, “ Pray hard for her. She needs the Great Physician. Only a miracle can keep her alive.”207
Through the next day and night the chaplain and a group of Marines maintained a vigil, praying for the girl as her life hung in the balance. Finally, on the second day, the girl began to whimper, as her fever seemed to subside ever so slightly. The doctor was called again. After another examination, he proclaimed, “ I’m either a genius doctor, or you’re a genius priest, but in any case, by golly, I think our girl is going to make it.”208
Since evacuation was impossible at the time, Father Gehring became the girl’s unofficial guardian. Thinking that she was probably of Chinese origin, he made up a suitably Chinese name: Patsy Li. News spread quickly through the ten thousand Marines on Guadalcanal that they had a “miracle girl” in their midst. They began to come in droves to see the girl and to bring gifts. They brought fruit, flowers, chocolate, handmade dolls, and parachute silk sarongs. Patsy Li seemed to become a symbol of love and hope in an otherwise God-forsaken place.209
He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us.
—2 Corinthians 1:10