Forty Days in the Love and Care Center

In 2010 I visited the Love and Care Center in Hunan Province, not long after my year-long chemo treatment in Taiwan and before going back to my teaching career.

I went there with a grateful and zealous heart and at the same time a weak and wearied body, I felt myself in a quest for inner healing. I remembered several years ago I have browsed the newsletter of Casa Ricci Social Services and was deeply struck by their multiple projects in Mainland China. After I received the permission of my community, Teresian Association, I volunteered to give some language lessons to the Sisters who work in the Love and Care Center. Fr. Fernando discussed with the Sisters and informed me they were glad of having language lessons. In God’s Providence, I spent forty days in the Love and Care Center. 

            In July 2010, was the first time I visited the Love and Care Center. We had individual classes from morning till evening in those ten days. All the Sisters learned with great enthusiasm, in spite of the hectic schedule amid their heavy working load. We had countless moments of fun and joy in teaching and learning. I was much moved by the Sisters eagerness to empower themselves in one way or another. Although I did not have much contact with the patients, from the sharing of the Sisters I found their mission was so attractive. The life stories of patients revealed a world not only filled with discrimination and marginalization, but also with dignity, love and care. The Sisters’ selfless generosity and profound happiness attracted me to know more about the mission of Love and Care Center.

            After a month, I paid another visit to the Love and Care Center. This time I stayed a bit longer. Aside from teaching the Sisters, I had classes with an adult patient as well. We became friends soon and he shared with me many of his opinions about life. I would always remember how excited and delighted he was when we revised those English phrases he was familiar with. Regarding the children patients, we played English games three times a week. During day time, they always asked to have English games in the evening. Their cheerful laughter will be forever on my memory. Through the fun of learning, life became different. I was happy that I could contribute in my small way.

            Apart from teaching, I was also invited to almost all the activities of the Center, such as visiting  a senior citizens compound in Mid-Autumn Festival, fruit harvesting with all the patients, making calendars in manual workshop, annual evaluation and planning workshop, etc. The Love and Care Center is an AIDS medical center which admits the seriously ill patients, it is amazing that because of the loving care of the Sisters many patients get better and better.
            From time to time we talked about many of the aspect of life in the Center, and there I discovered more of the generous self-giving spirit of the Sistes. This rekindled my heart.

Regardless of all the bitterness in life and all the bodily pains, the patients always wear friendly smiles. When I worked with them in the manual workshop, they were fond of making jokes. The atmosphere in the Center is so welcoming. Like a family, the Sisters, the adult patients, the children patients and the volunteers live together in harmony and share different responsibilities cooperatively. No one treated me as a stranger, but as a menber of the family, and I am very grateful to them all. Meeting them and having their friendship, gave me a lot strengh and even now that I am far awayI can still "drink" from so much good that I have received at the Love and Care Center.

                                                                                                            Katherine, Feb 2011