(DMNC) The Bridge of Connection and Closeness
After days of serving Sarx Covid 19 patients at the field hospital, I withdrew to a quiet place to isolate and monitor my health before returning to the community where I live and work. My mind never stops thinking about the life-or-death struggle of the patients, the total dedication of the medical team to trying to win back or prolong the patient’s life, the dedication and sacrifice. of brothers and sisters serving staff. The feeling is still there. Concerned about the patients who were confused, insecure and sad when she passed away last night, mother was on oxygen, the child was feverish; when the husband is in one hospital and the wife and child are in another; when the wife and daughter are in one hospital while the husband and son are in another quarantine; when my daughter is in this hospital, but her mother is old and has poor eyesight in another hospital, etc. The pity and concern kept gnawing at me, prompting me to ask the question, “What does God want me to do in this situation? ?” Experience from the fact that I have seen with my own eyes and ears, I realize that people today are in dire need of two “bridges”:
1. The bridge of love to connect
Jesus left a heart of gold, “Love one another as I have loved you” (John 15:34).
The Covid 19 virus is very small and no one can see it with the naked eye, but wherever it goes, it causes fear and division. When it enters someone’s house, the family members are divided and scattered there. Wherever it appeared, the crowd dispersed there. I feel that another name for this Virus called today is ‘fear.’ Last night a sister asked me: “Are you afraid of serving patients in the hospital?” I replied, “Happiness is better than fear.” She told me, “It takes a lot of courage and charity to make such a commitment.” A comment that I never thought of. Honestly, when I decided to join the hospital, I simply wanted to live with, listen directly to the concerns, worries and difficulties of those who are being named.” patients infected with the Covid virus”. That simple thing created a strong motivation for me to commit and love the work I was doing. Through what the staff and I do together, I find that instilling in the hearts of the “patients” a little humanity, arousing in their emotions the strength of hope, and arousing in their desires. They serve each other in spirit. Human love is gradually getting closer; The fear is gradually removed by the care that people give to each other. An employee and seminarian of Xuan Loc diocese shared, “At first, I was afraid when I entered the hospital to serve, but seeing the commitment of the staff members, my fear began to decrease. When I put on the shirt to serve patients, fear is gone, but love and joy of serving more and more is replaced.”
The most obvious thing I’ve noticed is the growing love connection. In the early days, the “patients” crossed their arms from afar and watched as the staff and us did things like picking up trash around the yard, collecting trash from the bins, cleaning the area, bringing meals to people. elderly people, giving bowls of porridge to the tired, adding some milk to the children… In the following days, they themselves undertake these tasks. They work with the spirit of mutual support, each person has a hand to make the campus more clean, each person does a job to make the hospital area more orderly and orderly, and each member makes a little sacrifice so that everyone feels secure. heartwarming. So a bridge of love was built and created a connection between people, between doctors and patients, between staff and “temporary residents.” The bridge of love has reduced the fear of mutual wariness and replaced it with smiles, sharing and encouragement. A sister shared with me: “Dad, this morning, I and a brother who is taking care of my elderly mother volunteered to clean all the emergency rooms, no more smell, Dad. The doctor and nurse were very happy. They thank us. I’m glad I got to do that little job.” The bridge of love has eased pain, eased fear and connected human relationships.
2. The bridge of sympathy for closeness:
Jesus’ troubled words still echo in my heart, “I have pity on the crowds, because they have been with me for three days and have nothing to eat” (Mk 8:2). When someone is accidentally found to be infected with the Covid virus, the first thing they receive is isolation and separation from all family, relatives or friends. Before the Covid virus had time to kill them, the “virus of panic and fear” had penetrated them from head to toe. During the days of living and serving in the hospital, I found out that the “hospitalized” person does not lack food, but lacks empathy. They are not physically hungry but hungry for care and support. We (the volunteer group) come and do ordinary things but the difference is that we put in the work a little love that contains sympathy. We don’t just want to get the job done, but through the work, what do the patients feel and what do we learn? Come to the side once
Paul Dinh Chi Hien
Priest of Xuan Loc diocese
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