After almost 2 weeks in Kolkata, I'm finally starting to feel that I can call this place home for the next two months. As Laura said before, we were both down for the count for a few days with a lovely little illness. I'll spare you the details but lets just say we both feel MUCH better now :) It was a bit discouraging to hang out in the room for 4 days but thanks to the massive amounts of prayer from everyone and God's beautiful grace, that zeal to work with the poor has indeed doubled.
Working at Kalighat has definitely been an eye-opening experience so far! Initially, I thought the hardest part would be the language barrier. It seemed very difficult to build a relationship with people who spoke a totally different language or, in some cases, could not speak at all. God's lesson Part 1: Loving someone solely based on the fact that they are human is a humbling and beautiful experience. I believe that it was St. Francis of Assisi who said "Preach the gospel at all times and when necessary, use words." Words are not necessary here. The other day I was taking blood pressures in the men's ward and a new man had just arrived the day before. He had suffered a stroke and was completely incapable of speech and had very limited control of his limbs. After I took his blood pressure, I sat with him for a while and just had my hand on his arm. Eventually he started to wave that arm around. I couldn't tell what he wanted, so I tried to offer him a glass of water and a few other things. He waved them all away and then something clicked in my mind. I grabbed his hand and placed it in mine and then he turned his head slowly and stared at me, blinking a couple of times and closing his hand around mine. As I sat there holding his hand, the importance of this mission hit me. I wasn't sure if this man had ever known love. And for some reason, I was the one sitting there with him, in the last days of his life. What he wanted was not more medical care, food, or water but my love instead. This is Jesus. It was a perfect reflection of Jesus on the cross..."I thirst". He thirsts for our love! What a beautiful way for Him to reveal this!
One of Mother Teresa's most important messages was this: "We think sometimes that poverty is only being hungry, naked and homeless. The poverty of being unwanted, unloved and uncared for is the greatest poverty. We must start in our own homes to remedy this kind of poverty." This kind of poverty is not only found in Kolkata. It's everywhere. That is why Mother Teresa's example is so powerful...it's so universal. MT stated, "Did not Jesus say: 'Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for the least brothers of mine, you did for me'. It is here, at this point, that you and I are written into God's plan."
Working at Kalighat has definitely been an eye-opening experience so far! Initially, I thought the hardest part would be the language barrier. It seemed very difficult to build a relationship with people who spoke a totally different language or, in some cases, could not speak at all. God's lesson Part 1: Loving someone solely based on the fact that they are human is a humbling and beautiful experience. I believe that it was St. Francis of Assisi who said "Preach the gospel at all times and when necessary, use words." Words are not necessary here. The other day I was taking blood pressures in the men's ward and a new man had just arrived the day before. He had suffered a stroke and was completely incapable of speech and had very limited control of his limbs. After I took his blood pressure, I sat with him for a while and just had my hand on his arm. Eventually he started to wave that arm around. I couldn't tell what he wanted, so I tried to offer him a glass of water and a few other things. He waved them all away and then something clicked in my mind. I grabbed his hand and placed it in mine and then he turned his head slowly and stared at me, blinking a couple of times and closing his hand around mine. As I sat there holding his hand, the importance of this mission hit me. I wasn't sure if this man had ever known love. And for some reason, I was the one sitting there with him, in the last days of his life. What he wanted was not more medical care, food, or water but my love instead. This is Jesus. It was a perfect reflection of Jesus on the cross..."I thirst". He thirsts for our love! What a beautiful way for Him to reveal this!
One of Mother Teresa's most important messages was this: "We think sometimes that poverty is only being hungry, naked and homeless. The poverty of being unwanted, unloved and uncared for is the greatest poverty. We must start in our own homes to remedy this kind of poverty." This kind of poverty is not only found in Kolkata. It's everywhere. That is why Mother Teresa's example is so powerful...it's so universal. MT stated, "Did not Jesus say: 'Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for the least brothers of mine, you did for me'. It is here, at this point, that you and I are written into God's plan."
Allison, it's jeanette.... I am so glad i got to read this. please keep posting things if you have a chance :) i know God is going to continue to use you powerfully.. let your love be strengthened by Him!
ReplyDeleteIt really sounds like you are feeling close to MT in a personal way. It's wonderful to hear your thoughts! And be able to tell you that you are in my prayers all day!
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