05/02/2012 10:22
Wednesday, 1 February
Was back on the ball again, I was not feeling well yesterday, got a fever a night before and seems like I've got a sinus which is a bit odd as I don't have them before. It turns out that this is very common especially for foreigners and it's due to the pollution. Some of my fellow volunteers experienced the same illness.
Some of the patients which I've attended in Prem Dan were pleased to see me and I've done some massage to some of them and do their exercise training, some of them I let them use the bike machine and treadmill. Thank God that they have a tremendous improvement and slowly walking by themselves, so hopefully before I left they don't need a wheelchair nor their crutches.
There are about 250 patients in this home and this is all men's section and most of their disabilities are physical injury due to accidents, some been run over by train, some are mental illness, blind and deaf mute. The best part of this community is they really look after each other. They've got some sort of a leader of the pack which happens to be one of my patient, sometimes he bosses around the other patients but he is also very helpful to them. He can't walk by himself so this is where he asserts his leadership, he knows every single case in the home and he told me everything. He was so grateful about the therapy that I'm giving him and the rest of the patient, his progress is tremendous considering that it's only over a week. My patients is getting bigger everyday and thankfully there's one German guy who does the physio as well. I have told them that I don't have a degree in physio but mine is just an experience basic healing method coupled with prayer. With God's grace and Him using me as an instrument of His healing - to Him be the highest glory. My morning shifts finished when their lunch is served around 11:30 am once we've cleaned all the dishes and spray clean the outside court.
There's a 3 hours break and at 3pm I start my afternoon shift with Nirmal Hriday (Home of the Destitute and Dying). Thank God there are 6 volunteers yesterday because last Monday it's only 2 of us. This home involves a lot of hard work like lifting the patients as most of them are immobile, can't walk or feed themselves and some of them are on a special meal that needs to be blended. One of the patients that I've served was soaked with his own urine and even his bed was soaking wet. I've managed to clean and change his clothes, change his bedsheet and pillow case and put him to bed after his dinner. Then the nun came up to me that another patient has to be changed as well. This place plays a big part in my spiritual quest even the last time that I was here. Before I put them to bed, I make sure that they are clean properly and delicately wipe their faces with wipes that I brought from Sydney. I know there's a reason why I brought 3 big packages of them. Each patient loved it even in Prem Dan. I'm so blessed with this place, it's so quiet, serene and you feel that the presence of our Lord is always in this place. I know that most of you think that this place being the Home of Destitute and Dying is like death row, but it's not. One has to be here to experience the ambience and aura of this place. I always leave this place with a grateful and happy heart. Yesterday, I've wiped the faces of several patients and I can see that there's some tears that coming from their eyes and it makes me so emotional that sometimes I have to control my emotion. I'm so grateful that our Lord has given me this wonderful and extraordinary opportunity to at least serve Him because for me this person is Jesus in disguise.
As I ponder and contemplate the day's proceedings, the purpose of life really is a life of purpose. The ultimate purpose of life is to make this world a better place through the lives we touch. However, in order to be in a position to add real value to other people and contribute to the world as best as we can, we must first come to know who we really are as a human being. Most of us plod through life responding to whatever the currents of the day blow our way, we never really get into the real core of us in fully exploring ourselves, in learning our greatest capacities and fully comprehending who we really are. This might be a bit too profound for the others, so I better stop from here, maybe one day I can fully discussed with your what I've truly experienced and felt on my spiritual odyssey here. The more I've stayed in this place, the more deeper the knowledge and wisdom that our great Lord has bestow on me. Everything comes as a grace from the Lord, as St. Therese of Lisieux always said.
In the end, I've learned that what really counts in life is not how many material things we have collected or how much money we've accumulated, but how many of our talents we have liberated and used for a purpose that adds value to this world. What truly matter most are the lives we have touched and the legacy that we have left. When we are born, we cried and the world rejoices, we should leave a legacy that the world will cry and we rejoice as we leave our earthly abode and join our Creator.
Before I signed off, I would love to share with you one of my favourite quote from William Penn: I expect to pass through life once. If therefore, there be any kindness I can show, or any good thing I can do to any fellow being, let me do it now and not defer or neglect it, as I shall not pass this way again.
For the eternal glory of God.
Bro. Ed
