Short Story: MY MISSION IN THE HOSPITAL
Coronavirus Pandemic starting in Vu Han, China, has been spread throughout the world. Since 00:am, April 1, 2020, the people in my hometown have been isolated completely from the society and have not been allowed to go out without a very urgent reason. We have neither been allowed to gather more than two people in public, keeping 2 metre distance. Every religional activity has been stopped. It is true that life is so fragile and limited. So, human beings need to trust in God who is always present, faithful to the Love Covenant. Even though, we were in miserable, fearful, lonely, and death condition, God’s grace has still covered our lives with His love and peace. At that time, I was sure that many people have bewildered. I also wondered: “how has the salvation of God been interpretted among His children?”
In the face of increased pandemic situation, the number of infected and dead people increased rapidly; We had a meeting to discuss the observance of the orders of the Archbishop, the instructions of the Ministry of Health and the goverment last night. There were a lot of mixed opinions around the directives. There were some typical reviews such as:
- We will not have community prayer but individually.
- We all will stay at home. If any Sister going out for one or some necessary reasons has to wear mask, wash hands with sterilized water and being isolated in some days. In case, all members stay at home, we can pray together because we don’t contact with infected people; we will be safe.
- At present, COVID-19 are developing in a complicated way, we must follow the instructions of those who take responsibility in society as well as in the Church. Our convent should split into small groups.
- On March 26, 2020, the direction of the priest in charge of religious men and women in the diocese said that those who were in a house could pray the Divine Office together as usual, but did not allow outsiders to attend. When praying together, they should follow medical recommendations such as disinfecting, keeping distance, wearing a mask, etc. He explained carefully so that we could comply with the Archbishop's decision to suspend Mass and Catholic activities.
- In human nature, we are weak and frail with suffering and happiness, grace and sin. Everyone must die; everyone has a time to live, to work, to love, to share, and to go back to God, the Creator. it is true that God created us in a special way and gives us the right to own the earth so that we can live and thrive. Yet, how many people have come to know God in this world, how have we evangelized and loved them? It is everyone's responsibility.
- In the past, misery, destruction, pandemics, tornadoes, wildfire, hunger, and war also happened in our world. I would like to list the pandemics: The first pandemic happened in the reign of king Justinian I (483-565 AD). Due to poor sanitation, low intellectual standards, it killed about 50 million people. Then, there were many pandemics happened in the following years like the Black Death (1347-1351). The plague parasitized in rats, spreading throughout Europe, killing about 25 million people; Smallpox claimed the lives of about 20 million people, nearly 90% of the population in America at that time; Cholera killed millions of people in India; Spanish flu - the 1918 flu pandemic took the lives of more than 50 million people in all over the world. As a result of this pandemic, in August 1918, there were plenty of preventive actions including mandatory reporting of suspected cases and supervision of facilities such as schools and barracks, closing and cleaning up public meeting venues like theaters as well as stopping meetings. Because there was no vaccine at that time, governments of many countries isolated the people with the flu and this method was very effective. In addition, in Northern Vietnam, from October 1944 to May 1945, the famine in Year of the Rooster was a disaster causing from 400,000 to 2 million deaths. From the way of seeing through birth and death, each person died in their own way: war, plague, famine. So, have we seen the signs of the times? Have we experienced God's love? Have we excluded God and eliminated His ways? And how have we related to each other?
- As Christians, we have faith and hope in God Who is the only One can control the time, history and destiny of humanity. The epidemic will pass sooner or later; the number of deaths will be less; science will develop; solidarity, share, service, and global information will be spread out with our prayers and sacrifices as well as other religions in the whole world. Many charitable activities have been done to prevent the epidemic. However, there have still been some people who concealed information because of selfishness and profits ... that is evil.
- There are four young doctor Sisters in our Congregation, three of whom work at our clinics; one works in the hospital. The clinics are not allowed to work now, so the Sisters want to go out to serve coronavirus victims. Besides that, some sisters with their specific apostolate want to share the difficulties with the poor, lottery ticket sellers, and vendors.
With lots of controversy ideas above, the meeting became more intense. Sister who was in charge said: - Please take a break.
After the break, there were some more ideas:
- You musn’t go out because you will bring Coronavirus for those who stay inside.
- In addition to sacrifices and prayers, we need to revise what are our apostolates in the coronavirus pandemic?
- We have to serve according to our specialized skills and responsibility for our mission.
- We need to consider who should be at home and who have to go out? About four Sisters who work in health care, I think the one who are working in the hospital, can continue to work and stay there; One Sister can help the lepers; The other take care of the sick in our community; So, only Sr. Thu can go out and stay in the place where she works. Those who go out for other apostolate have to isolate themselves when coming back the community. Isolation is also for the love of other Sisters.
In short, after discussing in two hours, we had a conclusion: Each group would pray in its own place. Sr. Thu would go to serve in the hospital. If there were more people dying because of sickness and Sr. Thu needed our help, other Sisters could come to support. Those who worked with the poor had to isolate themselves when coming back the community.
When the meeting finished, I was very happy and said:
- Please pray for me so that God will grant me with peace, health, and zeal for the mission. I was pleased to go out for serving people according to my specialized skill. I believed that God was my companion in every situation.
- I would like to say goodbye to you, I would leave at 4:00am.
One thought suddenly came to my mind: “Tomorrow, I will leave and whether I will come back or not, I do not know. I do not know what is waiting for me on the next journey.” Some times, I was so scared when I thought about evil and every time I cried: Lord Jesus, have mercy on me. Then I felt that Jesus was beside me and said: “Don't be afraid ”and the fear disappeared.
Tonight, I slept 5 hours. The car would start in one hour. I came to kneel in front of the statue of Our Lady located at the end of the corridor, I offered the misery of humanity to Her and asked for her protection and intercession. I felt peace and release in my heart. The sky was clear and blue and the 18 glittering moonlight pierced through the Lion-head trees growing at the end of the chapel. The memories of the beginning when I had just entered the convent were recalled. I experienced gradually the mysterious ways on which God lead me with both sadness and happiness. When I was down, I took time to mediate my cross and the Cross of Jesus Who was really the One carried and lifted my cross.
I came into the chapel. Some elder Sisters got up early and knelt in front of the tabernacle. I knelt down and prayed: “May the love of Jesus come upon me as well as mankind when we are facing the pandemic. You are the source of comfort, the strength that sustains us. May everyone knows that You are the Savior of the world. Truly, only You are the inheritance of my life, the only God, holy and last forever.”
I stood up, greeted them and left. There was something cool in bridge of my nose and stinging on the corners of my eyes. I looked toward the chapel and whispered: “I am Your weak handmaiden, Lord. Please be with me.” I made the Cross and got into the car.
When I arrived at workplace, I was assigned to the emergency and poison control room. The patients were those on the verge of death and life. In protective suits, I was sweaty and thirsty. So, I whispered the silent prayer: “Dear Lord, You are the spring of eternal life. May God's sweet stream free me from my physical and spiritual thirst.”
Then I was pulled with a call nearby.
- “Doctor, I want to go home. I want to die in the love and gathering of my family and relatives. I desire that my first son will help me to rest in peace.”
I came closer to the bed of the patient number 49 and said:
- “Your disease will be healed soon. Then, you will reunite with your family. You can treat everyone here as your children and you will be happy. Now, you should rest more so that you will recover soon.”
He replied: “But my children have not visited me since I was brought here.”
I kept a distance from him and explained: - “This room is only for doctors, nurses, and patients.”
Suddenly, I heard someone cry out: - “Doctor, I was..so..tired..tired.”
I rushed to the corner of the room. It was the patient number 50. I looked at her hospital files. The first day, she had 38 degree fever, pulmonary effusion, severe renal failure. After five days, she had no more fever and was on dialysis.
- “You used sphygmomanometer for measurements of her blood pressure and let her be on oxygen”, I talked to the nurse nearby.
- “Doctor, let me go home tomorrow please.” - another patient cried loudly.
I approached the patient number 1 and asked: “Do you feel alright with your health so that you can come home tomorrow?”
He answered: “I feel alittle better. But I have to work because I am the breadwinner in my family.”
- “where is your house?” I asked
He shared: “My hometown is in the North. My wife and I came to the South for earning money as bricklayers. Two years ago, unluckily, I fell down from a scaffolding. Now I don't work as a mason but sell lottery tickets with my wife who has had osteoarthritis of the spine. As a result, she can not work every day.”
- “The companies already stopped producing lottery tickets this time, sir”, I continued.
- “ At present, except those who are isolated, others are not allowed to go out without a necessary reason. If not, they will be punished.”
- “But I have to earn money for my family,” He told me.
- “Do not worry too much, sir. That will affect your recovery. I know there are some charitable organizations helping the poor.” I consoled him, looking at his hospital files and took notes his address.
Right after that, I heard one weak voice from the bed near there, the patient number 2: “- My God, please save me.”
I turned around: “ Are you so painful?”
- I… w..a..n..t….to…s..e..e….a….pr..i..e..s..t
I held her hands and took her pulse which was so seak. I asked:
- “It is so late now. May I find a priest for you on tomorrow afternoon?”
- “No”, her hands left mine.
After the patient had treatment, I came back to my room. It was so dark and late. However, I needed to make an important phone call in order to let her family know her serious situation. I thought they could be unhappy but I had no choice.
- “Good evening!”
- “Who’s there?”, voice of one middle age woman.
- “ I am a doctor…in the hospital.”
- “ Oh, how is my mother?”
- “ Uhm, she is a little tired. She wants to see a priest. Are you her daughter?”
- " Ah, yes.”
- “Which parish does your faminly belong to?” I asked.
- “My family are buddists. My mother once time told me that she had been a Christian and gone to church. Yet, after getting married to my father, she did not go to church anymore.”
- “Can you tell me the reasons why your mother does not go to church?”
- “Because my father was a communist party member and so did my mother. She worked there some years and stopped when giving birth to me. Then, she decided to leave the communist party. Her mother in-law was a buddist. So, she did not let my mother and us go to church. When my grandma and father died, one day at noon, I saw my mother crying at the door of the church.
- “Now, your mother wants to see a priest. What is your opinions?”
- “Since I saw my mother crying, I have never forgot it. However, my father’s younger brother did not want her to be a Christian.
- “How about other members in your family?"
- “In fact, my uncle earned money to support the whole family. However, he has just retired. Others have no ideas.”
- “Tomorrow, you talk with your uncle that your mother wants to see a priest,please. You should also tell him that you saw your mother crying at the church. For me, the important thing is what your mother really yearn for at this time. Maybe, I will do according to her will.”
- “Yes, doctor. Thank you very much for taking care of my mum.”
I went around to visit the patients and came back my room at 1:00am. I looked up and prayed: “Dear Lord, please strengthen me and bless the sick whom I serve. May God grant what their hearts desire. Dear Lord Jesus, You are so merciful and kind. Today is the first day of Holy Week. We do not have a chance to attend the Mass and other rituals because of Coronavirus pandemic. I ask myself: what have I done to glorify Your Name? What have I done for the people around me? It is certain that I still have mistakes and weaknesses. Please, have mercy on me and forgive my sins. Dear Lord, in the time of Minh Mang, Thieu Tri and Tu Duc dynasties, those kings persecuted the Christianity and so the Christians could not gather to celebrate the Mass. But they were so brave to profess their faith in God through many ways, esepcially death. Now, even the very small virus can make the world in reverse. We do not go to church because we fear to transfer the virus to others. Hence, in this situation, please guide us how to proclaim the Good News. Lord Jesus, you were willing to die humbly on the Cross at Calvary mountain to save and deliver the world from sins and misery. Into Your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.” Then, I fell asleep.
- “Doctor…doctor, the patient number..can’t breath, hands and legs were so cold”, the nurse called me franticly.
I gave order while walking: - “Bring here a medical ventilator please, how about the blood pressure?”
- “I could not take her blood pressure.”
- “How long has she been in this situation?”
- “ About thirty minutes.”
After having a medical examination, I gave a medical prescription and left the room. It was 7: 00am and I prepared to hand over to the next shift. I thought about my Congregation. As usual, my Sisters already finished breakfast and started working. I phoned the Sister in charge of apostolates.
- “Sister, please go to one family in the hostel in Chau Binh parish, which is along Van Duc pagoda today. That family has 4 members and is very poor. The husband is in hospital; the wife has had osteoarthritis of the spine; her son, 26 years old, has been paralyzed since childhood; her daughter is in grade twelve. They has an old computer. You talk to our superior so that you can come to help her to study online. If you can, please give them some money or rice to help them in their difficult time. Thank you so much, Sister.”
- “But we are not allowed to go out”, she demonstrated.
- “You can and you should be happy to go out because of an important mission as Jesus reminds us on Thursday of Holy Week. Then, when you come back, please be isolated and follow the instructions of health care. It will be alright”, I persuaded her.
- “Goodbye Sister. I have to make a call to a priest. We talk later ha.” Then, I searched the priest’s phone number.
- “Hello Sister. Where are you?”
- “I am in the hospital. One patient wants to see you, father.”
- I can go to there, can’t I?”
- ‘ Yes, you can, father. I am here to welcome you.”
- “I will call back, father.”
I took a risk to say so and went to see the chief physician.
After talking to him, I was happy and phoned the priest.
- “Father, you can come to hospital to give confession, give communion, and do the Sacrament of the Anointing of the sick.
- “Do I need to wear protective suit when I come to the hospital?”
- “I work at the emergency and poison control room. The city arranged a typical hospital to treat the patient who are infected by Covid-19. We also wear protective suit. Yet, if we check up and find out the patient with symstoms of Coronavirus such as fever, testing positive, he or she will be moved to that hospital. If you want to wear the protective suit, we also have, father.”
- “It is okay. I will be there in 30 minutes.”
So, the priest came and the will of the patient was done. She passed away some days later and her family came to take her body for cremation. I followed her at the corridor and heard that the family was considering when is best time for cremation. I was hurried to call the priest so that he could come to do funeral rites.
I also phoned my Sister in charge of apostolate and knew that she was so kind that she came and help the family at the hostel. Everything seemed to be alright. I asked my superior:
- “May I come back on Saturday evening of Holy Week?”
- “Oh, no, you shouldn’t. You will be isolated.”
- “ Er…but I already checked up. I am not infected, so, no need to be isolated.”
- “ You can stay in the hospital until the pandemic is over. At that time, you can come back.”
- “ I think I will come back soon because there is no one dying because of the epidemic according to the report. The infected have been guided with the instructions of health care. Hopefully, everything will be alright.”
- “Our country has many effective ways to deal with the pandemic. We need to follow the requirements of the govement.”
- “But we need to discern and foresee the situation.”
- “Alright, you also need to fulfill your spiritual duty of a religious sister even though you work outside.”
- “Yes, Sister”.
I continued sharing with her:
- “I have just read an article of a priest. He wrote: My hope is the strength of people all over the world to handle with the Coronacirus pandemic with our improved skills and brave . With God’s grace, we will win.”
- “Doctor, the patient number 50 is in serious situation.”
I checked the machines operating on the patient and felt hopelessly: “Dear Lord, You cried because of loving Lazarus and gave him back to life; have mercy on this patient and let her go home in Your peace.”
I phoned up her family and her eldest son came to pick her up. At that time, her eyes were opened and she said: - “Let me go home. I want to see your father.”
I looked at her, said goodbyed, and bowed my head in prayer silently:
“My God, it is certain that I can not avoid sorrow when doing Your work. May God give strength to those whom I meet, the sick and especially the victims of COVID-19. May You bring the death to Your Kingdom. May You grant doctors, nurses and sicientist who are doing research on Covid-19 vaccine and medicine, Pope Francis, Bishops, priests, religious men and women as well as people in all over the world including me Your love, brave, strength, and communion to glorify Your Name…even what my mind have not reached out.”
Some months later, my superior gave me a call:
- “ Hey, the pandemic was over two months ago, but you did not come back and did not call me. What happened?”
- “I am sorry, Sister. There are such things which are not convinient for me to talk on the phone. I will share with you when I come back in a week.”
I came back my Congregation on the day of taking the perpeptual vows of my Sisters. Thanks be to God for keeping me and my Sisters in Your peace. We together entered the chaple in heartfelt songs of praise. “It is not me to choose You, Lord, but it is You Who chose me.”
Tôi trở về nhà Dòng trong ngày lễ khấn trọn đời của các em. Tạ ơn Chúa, con đã về. Tạ ơn Chúa, chị đã về, tôi cùng các chị lên nguyện đường trong tiếng hát trào dâng. “Không phải con đã chọn Ngài, nhưng chính Ngài đã chọn con...”
April 6, 2020
LIM KIM
Đào Phượng chuyển ngữ
Coronavirus Pandemic starting in Vu Han, China, has been spread throughout the world. Since 00:am, April 1, 2020, the people in my hometown have been isolated completely from the society and have not been allowed to go out without a very urgent reason. We have neither been allowed to gather more than two people in public, keeping 2 metre distance. Every religional activity has been stopped. It is true that life is so fragile and limited. So, human beings need to trust in God who is always present, faithful to the Love Covenant. Even though, we were in miserable, fearful, lonely, and death condition, God’s grace has still covered our lives with His love and peace. At that time, I was sure that many people have bewildered. I also wondered: “how has the salvation of God been interpretted among His children?”
In the face of increased pandemic situation, the number of infected and dead people increased rapidly; We had a meeting to discuss the observance of the orders of the Archbishop, the instructions of the Ministry of Health and the goverment last night. There were a lot of mixed opinions around the directives. There were some typical reviews such as:
- We will not have community prayer but individually.
- We all will stay at home. If any Sister going out for one or some necessary reasons has to wear mask, wash hands with sterilized water and being isolated in some days. In case, all members stay at home, we can pray together because we don’t contact with infected people; we will be safe.
- At present, COVID-19 are developing in a complicated way, we must follow the instructions of those who take responsibility in society as well as in the Church. Our convent should split into small groups.
- On March 26, 2020, the direction of the priest in charge of religious men and women in the diocese said that those who were in a house could pray the Divine Office together as usual, but did not allow outsiders to attend. When praying together, they should follow medical recommendations such as disinfecting, keeping distance, wearing a mask, etc. He explained carefully so that we could comply with the Archbishop's decision to suspend Mass and Catholic activities.
- In human nature, we are weak and frail with suffering and happiness, grace and sin. Everyone must die; everyone has a time to live, to work, to love, to share, and to go back to God, the Creator. it is true that God created us in a special way and gives us the right to own the earth so that we can live and thrive. Yet, how many people have come to know God in this world, how have we evangelized and loved them? It is everyone's responsibility.
- In the past, misery, destruction, pandemics, tornadoes, wildfire, hunger, and war also happened in our world. I would like to list the pandemics: The first pandemic happened in the reign of king Justinian I (483-565 AD). Due to poor sanitation, low intellectual standards, it killed about 50 million people. Then, there were many pandemics happened in the following years like the Black Death (1347-1351). The plague parasitized in rats, spreading throughout Europe, killing about 25 million people; Smallpox claimed the lives of about 20 million people, nearly 90% of the population in America at that time; Cholera killed millions of people in India; Spanish flu - the 1918 flu pandemic took the lives of more than 50 million people in all over the world. As a result of this pandemic, in August 1918, there were plenty of preventive actions including mandatory reporting of suspected cases and supervision of facilities such as schools and barracks, closing and cleaning up public meeting venues like theaters as well as stopping meetings. Because there was no vaccine at that time, governments of many countries isolated the people with the flu and this method was very effective. In addition, in Northern Vietnam, from October 1944 to May 1945, the famine in Year of the Rooster was a disaster causing from 400,000 to 2 million deaths. From the way of seeing through birth and death, each person died in their own way: war, plague, famine. So, have we seen the signs of the times? Have we experienced God's love? Have we excluded God and eliminated His ways? And how have we related to each other?
- As Christians, we have faith and hope in God Who is the only One can control the time, history and destiny of humanity. The epidemic will pass sooner or later; the number of deaths will be less; science will develop; solidarity, share, service, and global information will be spread out with our prayers and sacrifices as well as other religions in the whole world. Many charitable activities have been done to prevent the epidemic. However, there have still been some people who concealed information because of selfishness and profits ... that is evil.
- There are four young doctor Sisters in our Congregation, three of whom work at our clinics; one works in the hospital. The clinics are not allowed to work now, so the Sisters want to go out to serve coronavirus victims. Besides that, some sisters with their specific apostolate want to share the difficulties with the poor, lottery ticket sellers, and vendors.
With lots of controversy ideas above, the meeting became more intense. Sister who was in charge said: - Please take a break.
After the break, there were some more ideas:
- You musn’t go out because you will bring Coronavirus for those who stay inside.
- In addition to sacrifices and prayers, we need to revise what are our apostolates in the coronavirus pandemic?
- We have to serve according to our specialized skills and responsibility for our mission.
- We need to consider who should be at home and who have to go out? About four Sisters who work in health care, I think the one who are working in the hospital, can continue to work and stay there; One Sister can help the lepers; The other take care of the sick in our community; So, only Sr. Thu can go out and stay in the place where she works. Those who go out for other apostolate have to isolate themselves when coming back the community. Isolation is also for the love of other Sisters.
In short, after discussing in two hours, we had a conclusion: Each group would pray in its own place. Sr. Thu would go to serve in the hospital. If there were more people dying because of sickness and Sr. Thu needed our help, other Sisters could come to support. Those who worked with the poor had to isolate themselves when coming back the community.
When the meeting finished, I was very happy and said:
- Please pray for me so that God will grant me with peace, health, and zeal for the mission. I was pleased to go out for serving people according to my specialized skill. I believed that God was my companion in every situation.
- I would like to say goodbye to you, I would leave at 4:00am.
One thought suddenly came to my mind: “Tomorrow, I will leave and whether I will come back or not, I do not know. I do not know what is waiting for me on the next journey.” Some times, I was so scared when I thought about evil and every time I cried: Lord Jesus, have mercy on me. Then I felt that Jesus was beside me and said: “Don't be afraid ”and the fear disappeared.
Tonight, I slept 5 hours. The car would start in one hour. I came to kneel in front of the statue of Our Lady located at the end of the corridor, I offered the misery of humanity to Her and asked for her protection and intercession. I felt peace and release in my heart. The sky was clear and blue and the 18 glittering moonlight pierced through the Lion-head trees growing at the end of the chapel. The memories of the beginning when I had just entered the convent were recalled. I experienced gradually the mysterious ways on which God lead me with both sadness and happiness. When I was down, I took time to mediate my cross and the Cross of Jesus Who was really the One carried and lifted my cross.
I came into the chapel. Some elder Sisters got up early and knelt in front of the tabernacle. I knelt down and prayed: “May the love of Jesus come upon me as well as mankind when we are facing the pandemic. You are the source of comfort, the strength that sustains us. May everyone knows that You are the Savior of the world. Truly, only You are the inheritance of my life, the only God, holy and last forever.”
I stood up, greeted them and left. There was something cool in bridge of my nose and stinging on the corners of my eyes. I looked toward the chapel and whispered: “I am Your weak handmaiden, Lord. Please be with me.” I made the Cross and got into the car.
When I arrived at workplace, I was assigned to the emergency and poison control room. The patients were those on the verge of death and life. In protective suits, I was sweaty and thirsty. So, I whispered the silent prayer: “Dear Lord, You are the spring of eternal life. May God's sweet stream free me from my physical and spiritual thirst.”
Then I was pulled with a call nearby.
- “Doctor, I want to go home. I want to die in the love and gathering of my family and relatives. I desire that my first son will help me to rest in peace.”
I came closer to the bed of the patient number 49 and said:
- “Your disease will be healed soon. Then, you will reunite with your family. You can treat everyone here as your children and you will be happy. Now, you should rest more so that you will recover soon.”
He replied: “But my children have not visited me since I was brought here.”
I kept a distance from him and explained: - “This room is only for doctors, nurses, and patients.”
Suddenly, I heard someone cry out: - “Doctor, I was..so..tired..tired.”
I rushed to the corner of the room. It was the patient number 50. I looked at her hospital files. The first day, she had 38 degree fever, pulmonary effusion, severe renal failure. After five days, she had no more fever and was on dialysis.
- “You used sphygmomanometer for measurements of her blood pressure and let her be on oxygen”, I talked to the nurse nearby.
- “Doctor, let me go home tomorrow please.” - another patient cried loudly.
I approached the patient number 1 and asked: “Do you feel alright with your health so that you can come home tomorrow?”
He answered: “I feel alittle better. But I have to work because I am the breadwinner in my family.”
- “where is your house?” I asked
He shared: “My hometown is in the North. My wife and I came to the South for earning money as bricklayers. Two years ago, unluckily, I fell down from a scaffolding. Now I don't work as a mason but sell lottery tickets with my wife who has had osteoarthritis of the spine. As a result, she can not work every day.”
- “The companies already stopped producing lottery tickets this time, sir”, I continued.
- “ At present, except those who are isolated, others are not allowed to go out without a necessary reason. If not, they will be punished.”
- “But I have to earn money for my family,” He told me.
- “Do not worry too much, sir. That will affect your recovery. I know there are some charitable organizations helping the poor.” I consoled him, looking at his hospital files and took notes his address.
Right after that, I heard one weak voice from the bed near there, the patient number 2: “- My God, please save me.”
I turned around: “ Are you so painful?”
- I… w..a..n..t….to…s..e..e….a….pr..i..e..s..t
I held her hands and took her pulse which was so seak. I asked:
- “It is so late now. May I find a priest for you on tomorrow afternoon?”
- “No”, her hands left mine.
After the patient had treatment, I came back to my room. It was so dark and late. However, I needed to make an important phone call in order to let her family know her serious situation. I thought they could be unhappy but I had no choice.
- “Good evening!”
- “Who’s there?”, voice of one middle age woman.
- “ I am a doctor…in the hospital.”
- “ Oh, how is my mother?”
- “ Uhm, she is a little tired. She wants to see a priest. Are you her daughter?”
- " Ah, yes.”
- “Which parish does your faminly belong to?” I asked.
- “My family are buddists. My mother once time told me that she had been a Christian and gone to church. Yet, after getting married to my father, she did not go to church anymore.”
- “Can you tell me the reasons why your mother does not go to church?”
- “Because my father was a communist party member and so did my mother. She worked there some years and stopped when giving birth to me. Then, she decided to leave the communist party. Her mother in-law was a buddist. So, she did not let my mother and us go to church. When my grandma and father died, one day at noon, I saw my mother crying at the door of the church.
- “Now, your mother wants to see a priest. What is your opinions?”
- “Since I saw my mother crying, I have never forgot it. However, my father’s younger brother did not want her to be a Christian.
- “How about other members in your family?"
- “In fact, my uncle earned money to support the whole family. However, he has just retired. Others have no ideas.”
- “Tomorrow, you talk with your uncle that your mother wants to see a priest,please. You should also tell him that you saw your mother crying at the church. For me, the important thing is what your mother really yearn for at this time. Maybe, I will do according to her will.”
- “Yes, doctor. Thank you very much for taking care of my mum.”
I went around to visit the patients and came back my room at 1:00am. I looked up and prayed: “Dear Lord, please strengthen me and bless the sick whom I serve. May God grant what their hearts desire. Dear Lord Jesus, You are so merciful and kind. Today is the first day of Holy Week. We do not have a chance to attend the Mass and other rituals because of Coronavirus pandemic. I ask myself: what have I done to glorify Your Name? What have I done for the people around me? It is certain that I still have mistakes and weaknesses. Please, have mercy on me and forgive my sins. Dear Lord, in the time of Minh Mang, Thieu Tri and Tu Duc dynasties, those kings persecuted the Christianity and so the Christians could not gather to celebrate the Mass. But they were so brave to profess their faith in God through many ways, esepcially death. Now, even the very small virus can make the world in reverse. We do not go to church because we fear to transfer the virus to others. Hence, in this situation, please guide us how to proclaim the Good News. Lord Jesus, you were willing to die humbly on the Cross at Calvary mountain to save and deliver the world from sins and misery. Into Your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.” Then, I fell asleep.
- “Doctor…doctor, the patient number..can’t breath, hands and legs were so cold”, the nurse called me franticly.
I gave order while walking: - “Bring here a medical ventilator please, how about the blood pressure?”
- “I could not take her blood pressure.”
- “How long has she been in this situation?”
- “ About thirty minutes.”
After having a medical examination, I gave a medical prescription and left the room. It was 7: 00am and I prepared to hand over to the next shift. I thought about my Congregation. As usual, my Sisters already finished breakfast and started working. I phoned the Sister in charge of apostolates.
- “Sister, please go to one family in the hostel in Chau Binh parish, which is along Van Duc pagoda today. That family has 4 members and is very poor. The husband is in hospital; the wife has had osteoarthritis of the spine; her son, 26 years old, has been paralyzed since childhood; her daughter is in grade twelve. They has an old computer. You talk to our superior so that you can come to help her to study online. If you can, please give them some money or rice to help them in their difficult time. Thank you so much, Sister.”
- “But we are not allowed to go out”, she demonstrated.
- “You can and you should be happy to go out because of an important mission as Jesus reminds us on Thursday of Holy Week. Then, when you come back, please be isolated and follow the instructions of health care. It will be alright”, I persuaded her.
- “Goodbye Sister. I have to make a call to a priest. We talk later ha.” Then, I searched the priest’s phone number.
- “Hello Sister. Where are you?”
- “I am in the hospital. One patient wants to see you, father.”
- I can go to there, can’t I?”
- ‘ Yes, you can, father. I am here to welcome you.”
- “I will call back, father.”
I took a risk to say so and went to see the chief physician.
After talking to him, I was happy and phoned the priest.
- “Father, you can come to hospital to give confession, give communion, and do the Sacrament of the Anointing of the sick.
- “Do I need to wear protective suit when I come to the hospital?”
- “I work at the emergency and poison control room. The city arranged a typical hospital to treat the patient who are infected by Covid-19. We also wear protective suit. Yet, if we check up and find out the patient with symstoms of Coronavirus such as fever, testing positive, he or she will be moved to that hospital. If you want to wear the protective suit, we also have, father.”
- “It is okay. I will be there in 30 minutes.”
So, the priest came and the will of the patient was done. She passed away some days later and her family came to take her body for cremation. I followed her at the corridor and heard that the family was considering when is best time for cremation. I was hurried to call the priest so that he could come to do funeral rites.
I also phoned my Sister in charge of apostolate and knew that she was so kind that she came and help the family at the hostel. Everything seemed to be alright. I asked my superior:
- “May I come back on Saturday evening of Holy Week?”
- “Oh, no, you shouldn’t. You will be isolated.”
- “ Er…but I already checked up. I am not infected, so, no need to be isolated.”
- “ You can stay in the hospital until the pandemic is over. At that time, you can come back.”
- “ I think I will come back soon because there is no one dying because of the epidemic according to the report. The infected have been guided with the instructions of health care. Hopefully, everything will be alright.”
- “Our country has many effective ways to deal with the pandemic. We need to follow the requirements of the govement.”
- “But we need to discern and foresee the situation.”
- “Alright, you also need to fulfill your spiritual duty of a religious sister even though you work outside.”
- “Yes, Sister”.
I continued sharing with her:
- “I have just read an article of a priest. He wrote: My hope is the strength of people all over the world to handle with the Coronacirus pandemic with our improved skills and brave . With God’s grace, we will win.”
- “Doctor, the patient number 50 is in serious situation.”
I checked the machines operating on the patient and felt hopelessly: “Dear Lord, You cried because of loving Lazarus and gave him back to life; have mercy on this patient and let her go home in Your peace.”
I phoned up her family and her eldest son came to pick her up. At that time, her eyes were opened and she said: - “Let me go home. I want to see your father.”
I looked at her, said goodbyed, and bowed my head in prayer silently:
“My God, it is certain that I can not avoid sorrow when doing Your work. May God give strength to those whom I meet, the sick and especially the victims of COVID-19. May You bring the death to Your Kingdom. May You grant doctors, nurses and sicientist who are doing research on Covid-19 vaccine and medicine, Pope Francis, Bishops, priests, religious men and women as well as people in all over the world including me Your love, brave, strength, and communion to glorify Your Name…even what my mind have not reached out.”
Some months later, my superior gave me a call:
- “ Hey, the pandemic was over two months ago, but you did not come back and did not call me. What happened?”
- “I am sorry, Sister. There are such things which are not convinient for me to talk on the phone. I will share with you when I come back in a week.”
I came back my Congregation on the day of taking the perpeptual vows of my Sisters. Thanks be to God for keeping me and my Sisters in Your peace. We together entered the chaple in heartfelt songs of praise. “It is not me to choose You, Lord, but it is You Who chose me.”
Tôi trở về nhà Dòng trong ngày lễ khấn trọn đời của các em. Tạ ơn Chúa, con đã về. Tạ ơn Chúa, chị đã về, tôi cùng các chị lên nguyện đường trong tiếng hát trào dâng. “Không phải con đã chọn Ngài, nhưng chính Ngài đã chọn con...”
April 6, 2020
LIM KIM
Đào Phượng chuyển ngữ