Silverlinings (for other editions, see Silverlinings)

Choosing a Healer
(October 8, 2006)

Hopping and stumbling onto the porch and grabbing for the chair, Irene clenched her teeth in anguish. We knew something had to be done for her throbbing knee, and whatever we did, it would need to be done soon. Her knee was swelling twice its normal size, and she could no longer move without excruciating pain. There were no doctors, hospitals or clinics on the island. However, there were several choices of "hilots" to call. Ate Susing explained that the villagers in Polo seek these healers or massagers not just because they are the only medical help available, but also because these hilots get desired results.

The challenge we now had was deciding which hilot to choose for healing Irene's knee. Ate Susing made it very clear to the group that as Christians we did not want to become involved in any type of witchcraft or recognize the power of evil spirits. The source of power for some of the hilots is questionable. We discussed their ways of healing, their skills of massaging, and where they seem to get their power.

One hilot was well known for massaging the mothers who were having a breech birth. Mothers, who had suffered through a breech labor, claimed that this hilot would whisper a prayer and massage the mother's body until the baby changed positions. Ate Susing explained that the bulong or whispered prayer is essential to this hilot's healing method. Once when this healer was asked what she was whispering, she refused to say. She felt that if others used the same prayer, its healing power would be lessened. She claimed that her grandmother, who also had powers of healing, had taught her the ways of using the power of the secret prayer. Because the prayer works, she keeps it locked in a little metal box hidden in her home.

Ate Susing decided that the secret whispered prayer of this hilot and our openness in praying to God did not go together; we must think of someone else to help Irene. Benny suggested we might use one of the young women healers-the one he and his wife have used. She was very good with their children, especially if they had fevers or stomach complaints. She was not known to use whispered prayers. Her method was to use oil and a banana leaf to find the place needing healing. She would rub thick virgin coconut oil on a freshly picked banana leaf and allow the leaf to slide lightly over the body. Wherever the leaf stopped, this would be the area causing the pain and the area needing direct massaging for healing.

After a long discussion, the decision was made to not call Benny's hilot. No one knew for sure where she was getting her powers. No one knew if she was a Christian. And besides, her specialty power seems to involve the healing of children, not adults.

Norma suggested a third woman who lived nearby. She always used a written prayer called an orasyon in her healing procedures. Norma explained that sometimes this hilot would write on the sick person's body, but usually she would just write a special prayer on a piece of paper, lick it, and then put the paper, prayer-side up, on the area needing healing. The written prayer and massaging usually brought quick results. If not, she would visit the sick person two or three more times to complete the healing process.

We thought about calling this hilot to come; however, Norma didn't know to whom the woman praying or where she was getting her power. Someone mentioned that the woman was known also for casting out evil spirits that were causing the physical damage. We knew that Irene's knee was damaged by being jammed between the gate and the bar of the tricycle cart carrying groceries, not by an evil spirit. She testified that she had not sinned and not done anything to cause an evil spirit to invade her body. Neither did Irene accept the belief that she had offended a spirit, such as by cutting down a tree without asking permission. No, we decided, this person was not the hilot to use.

We had only one person left to call, but the hilot was visiting her daughter on the far side of the island, at least a 35 minute walk in the hot afternoon sun. This hilot was Tinay, a chiropractic practitioner and was very good at massaging legs, backs, shoulders, and arms of the afflicted. No one knew anything bad about her.

Ate Susing walked the 35 minutes in the searing afternoon sun to the other side of the island. When she met the hilot, she asked, "Tinay, do you use bulong (whispered prayers)?" "Do you cast out spirits?" "Oh, no," Tinay answered to both questions, "I just understand where to massage and what oils and leaves to use. God has given me a gift of healing."

Tinay massaging Irene's leg

Ate Susing and Tinay walked the 35 minutes back in the even hotter afternoon sun. They were both tired when they arrived, but after a quick drink of water, Tinay was ready to begin her healing ministry. After pouring oil on her hands, she sat comfortably on the floor in front of Irene. She began using her strong fingers to massage the leg muscles above and below Irene's knee and then on the knee itself. Pushing down on the side of the chair and leaning stiffly back, Irene moaned softly and gritted her teeth, but as Tinay continued to move her finger rapidly across the pressure points on her patient's legs, Irene begin to relax. Soon she was joking.

After the 45 minutes massage, Tinay called for someone to cut fresh tuba-tuba leaves. She claimed that the plant was good for healing contusions, swelling and dislocated bones. After pounding the leaves, she made layers of broken up leaves and coarse salt and tied the leaves around Irene's knee with a cloth. Tinay's work was finished. She had done all she could this day, but she would come at least two more times for the massaging. As she left, Ate Susing gave a small amount of money for her services. She explained that Tinay receives donations and gifts, but never charges for using her skills in healing. Tinay feels that if she charges her patients, she may lose her gift of healing.

Tinay, the hilot, with Irene

An important decision of which hilot to choose for healing Irene's knee was made that day. We prayed for Irene, but we did not say secret prayers. We prayed that God would use the rubbing of the oil and the massaging by Tinay's hands to help heal the swollen and painful knee. We prayed that God would use the tuba-tuba leaf bandage to help prevent more swelling. Our prayers were offered in faith into the healing hands of a loving Father. We chose God. He is the True Healer.

O Lord my God, I called to you for help and you healed me. (Psalms 30:2 NIV)

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