A darling little girl that I met visiting one of the temples
The woman lying next to me has fallen from a ladder and now faces internal bleeding and may have broken her arm. She is pregnant and in excruciating pain. We’re in a rural village and night has fallen. . I, with my $14.95 first-aid kit, seem to be the most knowledgeable person in the village… As they ask me if I can massage the arm that may be broken I try to explain, in failed attempts at Nepali, that it is not a good idea. The closest hospital is hours away and so she must wait until morning to make the journey to be seen by a doctor... Overwhelmed by the situation and the ease to which the people of the village accept what is going on I’m faced with nothing short of culture shock. As I sit there gently wiping the hair out of her face I see the pain in her eyes and am overcome with an utter sense of hopelessness… she is pregnant and in pain and there is nothing I can do. I've, once again, been immersed into the realization of how vast and immense the issues of this world truly are…
Katie
"In the present circumstances, no one can afford to assume that someone else will solve their problems. Every individual has a responsibility to help guide our global family in the right direction. Good wishes are not sufficient; we must become actively engaged." - His Holiness the Dalai Lama
Such beautiful writing, Katie. Praying that God will intersect your path and your travels with those that need your presence and your strength. They are perhaps the greatest thing that woman could have at a moment like the one you've described for us. Praying for your safety and health, too!
ReplyDelete-Brooke