Yesterday was probably one of the toughest days at Kalighat. Ally and I decided we needed some extra time off from volunteering so we decided to go to the afternoon shift from 3-5 which from my previous experience was much more peaceful. However, yesterday it was not. There were about 15 volunteers too many which added to the chaos of the extra cleaning the MCs are doing. Our shift began with a lecture from an understandably irate Sister. A patient confessed to an MC that a volunteer had given him Rs. 10 to buy drugs. The Sister was looking for the volunteer and knew that he or she usually worked the afternoon shift. Another volunteer had just recently been caught doing the same exact thing. The volunteer's defense was that it was the patient's only pleasure left in life. The Sister asked, "do you go to the hospital for treatment or for pleasure?" She looked around at the group of us, pointed at me and said, "answer the question!" I practically passed out from being singled out like that and felt incredibly guilty even though I have never given any patient anything. For the next hour or so I worked quietly, trying to stay out of the way.
The day did not get better. Because I am a nursing student, they allow me to do certian things like give feedings through a feeding tube. The woman who I was giving feeding to is very close to dying. She began to vomit up the feeding and I honestly thought she was about to die right there and that it was my fault. What I needed, a suction, was not available, so the only thing we could do was place her on her side and wipe up the vomit as it came out of her mouth. Ally and I stayed with her until she was comfortable again.
At the end of the day, we were able to go to Adoration and be filled with God's peace. We were there for the patient, even though it was hard and we felt useless. We brought Jesus to her soul which is what we are there to do. Last Sunday at the volunteer time of sharing, one of the Sisters shared a beautiful insight into the 2nd Joyful mystery, the Visitation. Mary's main purpose in going to visit Elizabeth was not to give her companionship and help during her pregnancy, but rather, it was to sanctify John by bringing Jesus to him. That is what we are called to do each day at Kalighat and in every other area of our lives.
The day did not get better. Because I am a nursing student, they allow me to do certian things like give feedings through a feeding tube. The woman who I was giving feeding to is very close to dying. She began to vomit up the feeding and I honestly thought she was about to die right there and that it was my fault. What I needed, a suction, was not available, so the only thing we could do was place her on her side and wipe up the vomit as it came out of her mouth. Ally and I stayed with her until she was comfortable again.
At the end of the day, we were able to go to Adoration and be filled with God's peace. We were there for the patient, even though it was hard and we felt useless. We brought Jesus to her soul which is what we are there to do. Last Sunday at the volunteer time of sharing, one of the Sisters shared a beautiful insight into the 2nd Joyful mystery, the Visitation. Mary's main purpose in going to visit Elizabeth was not to give her companionship and help during her pregnancy, but rather, it was to sanctify John by bringing Jesus to him. That is what we are called to do each day at Kalighat and in every other area of our lives.
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