Blood, Sweat, and Fears

Eugene announces that the Odyssey Community Hospital has asked Hand Up to organize its annual blood drive after several years of poor participation. Whit offers the little theater at Whit’s End as a central location, while Connie and Wooton volunteer to donate. Eugene happily accepts their help and begins planning ways to attract more people.

Eugene’s confidence hides a severe fear of blood and needles. Katrina reminds him over the telephone that he fainted the last time he saw blood, but he dismisses the phobia and reasons that an organizer will not have to donate. He can discuss needles only after a deep breath, and even the sight of an ordinary sewing needle makes him light-headed.

Trent DeWhite and Mandy are supposed to promote the event by interviewing people whose lives have been helped by transfusions. When Mandy withdraws because of other troubles in her life, Connie encourages Trent to conduct the interviews himself on Kids’ Radio. Trent is terrified of speaking before an audience and imagines listeners criticizing every mistake and squeak in his voice.

During his first live interview, Trent forgets his guest’s name, calls a transfusion a transaction, and loses track of his questions. Connie ends the segment while he is soaked with nervous perspiration. She helps him prepare cards for another attempt, this time with Wooton, who once required a transfusion.

Trent begins more steadily, but Wooton’s unusual story about a tricycle, a ski slope, and a chairlift wanders in every direction. Although Trent knows they are drifting off topic, he is too nervous to regain control before their time expires. Embarrassed by two failures, he declares that interviewing is simply not for him and refuses to try again.

Whit reminds Trent that Moses also believed he was not a good enough speaker to do the task God gave him. Scripture is filled with frightened people who receive courage to obey. Someone else may be able to take Trent’s place, but if God wants to use Trent, fear could make him miss the blessing that comes through accepting the assignment.

The blood-drive preparations succeed beyond expectation. Heart-shaped pancakes, business discounts, and radio announcements produce ten times the usual number of appointments. A hospital representative decides to honor Eugene’s leadership by introducing him as the first donor. Eugene can no longer hide the fact that the organizer himself is terrified to give blood.

Connie points out that Eugene had advised Whit to face his fear, even though Whit has also avoided donating. During wartime, Whit once lost a great deal of blood and awoke to find a nurse mistakenly drawing still more. The memory has made the procedure frightening ever since. Remembering his own lesson to Trent, Whit decides that he and Eugene will donate together and pray for courage.

On the morning of the drive, Trent accepts one more live assignment. He reports from Whit’s End as its first two donors face the fears they have concealed. His nervousness no longer stops him from speaking clearly, asking useful questions, and explaining that doing what is right may still feel frightening. Whit and Eugene strengthen each other simply by being there together.

Eugene describes the needle so dramatically that he tries to change his mind, only to discover that the nurse has already inserted it. He becomes exhilarated when he realizes he has succeeded, while Whit admits that the experience is not nearly as bad as his imagination made it. Trent completes his report with confidence. Eugene then excitedly tries to tell everyone how manageable blood donation is and faints, but the blood has already been given and the fear has already been faced.