tales-of-Fogo-Island

The man believed he could make it through the day without eating, but he wasworried about his family. Before leaving for Fogo, he went down to his stage.He hoped to find a scrap of salt fish that would feed his wife and children whilehe was gone. While making his way down over the bank, he noticed that therewas a solid jam of ice in the harbour. He also noticed that there was no openwater for miles. However, then something else caught his eye. A big seal wasright there beside his wharf! In a flash, the man jumped onto the ice and killedit. Soon a delicious seal breakfast was cooked and the family ate until theywere full.One elderly man said, "Twas an act of God. There was no way for dat seal toget dere lest the good Lard put 'en dere. Them was good people. They wasGod-fearing people and the good Lard would not let them starve."Faith also seemed to play a role in saving the life of a seven- year-old girl onIndian Islands. One day, the girl started complaining of a headache and chills.Before long, she was too sick to be moved. Her father left in a rowboat to getDoctor MacKenzie at Fogo.By the time the two men made it back to Indian Islands, the girl had taken a'bad turn'. She could hardly speak and was burning up with a fever. Thedoctor believed that the little girl was suffering from meningitis. He also knewthat her chances for survival were slim. Earlier that week, two children fromChange Islands had died of a similar illness.Doctor MacKenzie gathered the family together and explained that he had nocure to offer. He told the family that if the child did survive, she would probablynever speak or walk again. He also told them she may get some relief if theykept her cool and placed ice around her head. The doctor's words did not givethe family much comfort. It was the middle of July and there was no ice to befound.All that day the family stood and watched the child get even weaker. They putwet cloths on her forehead and hoped that she would get better. Meanwhile,they could hear the child's grandmother praying in the next room. That nightas the parents stayed up with their child, the grandmother continued to pray.When morning came, the little girl was still alive. Her father put on his bootsand walked outside to tell some of his friends about his daughter's condition.He gazed out the bay with an empty look on his face. Then, his expression