It’s not often that I write about personal experiences, but every once in a while, an exception is warranted.
I recently had the opportunity to travel to observe a mission team on a trip internationally. I’m not sure exactly what I expected. I was en route to a developing but not truly third world country in an area where political instability is the rule of the day. I was a bit apprehensive, although I wasn’t entirely sure what of — perhaps it was a fear of random violence in an area of the world where terrorism is not an obtuse threat but has been a reality. Or maybe I thought the area would be barren and the conditions harsh. Or that the people might be, at the least, wary — if not outright cold.
Imagine my surprise when I arrived in a country that has landscapes that are truly lovely — the sea and flora would rival any resort area in the world. A booming urban center of restaurants and clubs and traffic that could rival several midsize cities right here in the United States. And all around, it’s shrouded in history that’s centuries long — so much more than my country.
As we arrived at the site of the mission, we were welcomed in the most visible way: There was a massive banner announcing our arrival for the partnership our team was to live over the following week. My nerves began to calm slightly. The generosity that greeted us when we traveled through the hospital was palpable. Our team was embraced by everyone.
[See: 10 Interesting Ways to Volunteer at a Hospital.]
In this particular country, as with so many others in that part of the world, there are several different refugee camps in the immediate area. These are children and families that have been displaced from their homelands. They live in a crowd with a new baby arriving in the camps every hour. Many are born and die while living their entire existence in the camp. Just as children in our society have health needs, so do these small souls. And just like our government supports certain programs, the ministry of health is out there going into the camps and vaccinating. And just like our hospitals, this establishment is trying to care for as many children as possible in partnership with the United Nations and many other foundations and NGOs.
But in this place, so far from where I wake up every day, they have many more things to consider than just reimbursement. First, they must be constantly aware of the tenuous balance in their environment and try not to upset it. There are many cultures, religions and political sects trying to live every day in relatively tight quarters without incident. And while health problems abound, there are additional issues they’re fighting.
In one of the sites I visited, there are women who have prominent roles in their facility. While that’s unusual enough, they’re empowering the women who live in the shadow of an ancient society by giving them an opportunity to have a career, get educated and contribute to the society in which they live in a different way than their history would predict. As a matter of fact, more than 65 percent of the workforce in their facility are young women. They’re a new type of resistance in their developing country, and it is righteous and brave. And so needed. It’s girl power to another level, and I’m both in awe and afraid for them.
[See: Creative Ways Hospitals Reach Diverse Populations.]
In that same site, I was also awed by the revelation that there are good people everywhere trying to do the right thing — people who are loving and kind even to strangers like me. At one point, we had the opportunity to meet a refugee family. We had nothing in common except that we were in the same place. The youngest of the family’s six children had received care at the hospital a few weeks prior, and they came to say thank you from their refugee camp. With no common language between us, they handed me their son, and I soon found myself cuddling him. He’s getting better every day. I couldn’t help but think that this family was trusting enough to let me hold their beautiful child. If one moment of the experience changed my heart, I believe that might have been it.
I won’t say where these amazing people live or work, so as not to put them in any danger. But rest assured: They are out there, trying just like me to live a good life, to be kind and take care of those around them. They reminded me that there are excellent people everywhere and that, while there may be a small faction of angry and evil in the world, we are the majority, and the good fight is worth fighting for in our own way.
[See: How to Be a Good Patient Wingman.]
I’ve written before that the practice of medicine may be the road to peace. At the time, I thought it was the role of the U.S. health care system to be the peacemaker. This trip showed me that people everywhere are paving the road to peace by ministering to others through medical care. This team gave the care but also treated the impoverished with dignity and kindness and understood their way forward included empowering all people to live a life of productivity, fulfillment and equality. I hope that after our visit, some of the people we met have a better impression of Americans and believe that the majority of us care for others in every way in every location. I’m certain their impression will not even come close to the profound effect they all had on my heart. I will never forget them, and I hope they recognize themselves in this piece as great humanitarians and exactly the type of soldiers it will take to find a world of peace for all of us.
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One Doctor’s Experience Providing Health Care at a Refugee Camp originally appeared on usnews.com
