The Power of One

It only takes one person to make a difference.  When Sergei Kourdakov wrote The Persecutor he reached people all over the world.  Alone, he touched thousands with his story and changed lives.  There is a lot to be said about the power of one.  You don’t always ask to be the one, often the choice isn’t yours.

 

When I worked at an elementary school I was the only adult close by in the cafeteria when a young girl started choking.  She couldn’t speak and was clawing frantically at her throat; her panicked eyes begged me for help.  I looked around helplessly; but no other adult was near.  It’s not that I didn’t want to help; I just didn’t know what to do.  I had never performed the life-saving Heimlich maneuver before.  I was afraid but there was no other choice.   

 

I quickly stepped behind her and placed my folded locked hands above her waist.  One quick thrust inward and upward just below her rib cage did nothing.  A second sharp thrust, again no results, she was still grabbing at her throat.  At that point a sickening feeling came over me, this child is going to die in my arms and I can’t do anything to save her.  And so I prayed for help, God you have to help me save this child.  I don’t want her to die, please don’t let her die.  

The second the prayer left my lips I had the strangest sensation.  Tunnel vision formed and everything around me became a hazy blur.  The little girl at the end of the tunnel was perfectly in focus.  Everything outside of the tunnel moved in slow motion.  I could not hear any sounds whatsoever even though there were hundreds of students loudly enjoying their lunch break.  My focus was entirely on the choking girl.  I clearly and methodically went over the Heimlich directions again in my mind and knew I wasn’t using enough force.  One final thrust of my hands lifted the child a few inches off the ground, dislodging the potato chip and forcing it to fly across the table.
 

Slowly the tunnel vision dissipated and my body trembled inside from the rush of adrenaline.  This beautiful little girl would live.  I didn’t ask to be the one that day, but the choice wasn’t mine.  It only takes one person to make a difference.