Learning in caring of the terminal patients

In September 2009, I began providing care for AIDS patients and their families.  Initially, I was not involved with terminal patients, until three years later, when I was requested to care for AIDS patients who are in their last stages in life.  Worried as to whether I was up to the task, I sought out an experienced care worker.  She reassured me, “ As long as you approach your work diligently, I am sure you will do a good job.”

I started working at the AIDS Loving Care Centre of the Hospital for Infectious Diseases in Yunnan Province on 27^th March, 2013.  Our supervisor advised us to  “take small steps”, i.e. start by attending to the regular patients, and then gradually move to caring for the terminally ill.  As such, I learnt to be an understanding companion to the patients, to be perceptive to their inner issues, queries, and needs.  There were times when I would be able calm their anxieties with a few well-chosen words.

Whenever I am able to put a patient at ease, I found my spirits being lifted; and my happiness with this type of work increased.

Mrs Chen was 63 and came from Jianshui county of Honghe Perfecture of Yunnan Province.  Seven years ago, she contracted AIDS from her husband.  Despite continuous medication, the disease stayed with her.  Once, alarmed at the yellowish tinge of her skin, her children took her to the local hospital; but after a fortnight of unsuccessful treatment, she was transferred to our hospital.  On 13^th May 2013, Mrs. Chen made a request to return home, but our Director Wang refused.  That night she had diarrhoea and became unconscious by the morning of the 14^th, with a temperature of 40C plus.  Director Wang led the team of medical personnel to respond to this emergency.  I went to see Mrs. Chen the following morning.  The room had a strong smell of excrement; and the patient was in an agitated state of mind.  She was strapped to the bed with an oxygen mask on, and was inserted with glucose bottle and a catheter.  The monitors showed irregular readings, indicating an unstable condition.  The head nurse, with our help, proceeded to have Mrs. Chen cleaned up.  She washed her, changed the diapers, brushed her teeth, and even combed her hair.  I sat with Mrs. Chen whilst her son went out to buy some necessities.  At around 2pm, the patient’s temperature was still at 39.8C.  The doctor recommended using physical means to reduce the temperature.  At his direction, I prepared a pan of warm water and bathed the lower parts of her body.  I also assisted the family in disposing the urine, and noting the volume passed, etc.  On the 16^th, when Mrs. Chen’s family was ready to take her home, I helped them gather her belongings for the journey.  The daughter thanked me saying, “Miss Wang, You are just like a member of the family.”  Two days later, I received a message from the daughter informing me that her mother passed away 4pm that day.  I texted back, “Do not grieve.  You have done all that you could.  Your mother was a gentle and kind lady, and God/Heaven will be watching over her now.  Take care of yourself, and live a happy life.”  She responded, “Thank you Miss Wang.  Your words give me comfort, and I will follow your advice.”

In this world, all our lives have a beginning and an end.  It is just that we don’t know the time of that end.  Take the case of Mrs. Chen.  She came to our hospital without realizing she had so little time left.  I feel that our supervisor’s advice was correct – begin by looking after the regular patients; and later on, by working closely with the medical staff in tending to these patients and their loved ones, we will then be able to handle the more difficult cases - care giving to raise the quality of life for the terminally ill.  This way we can help them travel the final leg of their life’s journey with a prefect closing, with no pain and in peace, comfort and dignity.  At the same time, it is important that we should see to the physical and emotional well-being of the patients’ families.  I am especially grateful to Casa Ricci Social Services for giving me the opportunity to work with terminal patients and their families.  The work allowed me to value the passing of love, caring and respect between human beings as part of social interaction that are essential to maintaining one’s physical and mental health.

By Sr. Wang Xia 

“Sunshine will always be here after the storm”, and, we have already seen the rainbow.

"Written by Monica, a Sister who has worked in one of our Children homes"

“Happiness and sadness that are in our life, I will share with you ……no matter here are rain and wind….”, every time when I hear this song, my heart will go to where that group of strong and lovely children – a group of little children who are standing in the edge of the society, they are being rejected and abandoned, they are being discriminated and abused by their family and the society.

By the will of God, I knew these extraordinary children through “Casa Ricci”, and then my life has been changed ever since.

These children cannot go back home, some even don’t have home. They don’t have families to look after them. Every time when I see the sadness in their eyes of waiting in vain for a visit from families, every time when I hear their crying from their broken heart for have been rejected and abandoned, every time when I see their innocent look for waiting to be accepted…….I have been touched deeply.      

I have asked myself “why”? But I understood then that the importance is not to answer “why”. What’s important is what I can do.  So I did my best to take care and help them, but I realized soon that what I had been doing was just an expression of my selfishness.

So I joined their activities...we studied, played, worked and shared altogether. I went into their world to read and feel their inner hearts so I understood what they really needed. After some times, they became part of my life.

Life itself is a sharing and bearing process, I do know it deeply now. These children share my efforts and bear my insufficiencies. I share their strong will and bear their hopeless. Certainly, I cannot bear their past, but what I can do is to accept their invitation to walk together with them through every doubt and every difficulty in their life. When they know they are not alone, when they know there are someones still love them besides their family members who no longer remember them, they will show their happiness and affection for life through their daily livings. The children’s happiness is my happiness.               

From all the creatures of God, only human being can perceive, possess will power, is emotional and spiritual. No matter the age, only love can cure, renew, and release, no matter if you are “sick” or not. What is true love? I don’t know exactly, I only know, in the moment when I am feeling down, that a child come to me and says “Auntie, are you unhappy? Please listen to the music as this is what I will do when I am not happy.” This touches me deeply.

Also, when they tell me that they are unhappy with their innocent language that cannot express themselves fully, I will hug them strongly. When they sometimes cry with a seemingly “naughtiness”, a challenge to me that I will still accept and love them, I always look up for kindness from God.

“Sunshine will always be here after the storm”, and we have already seen the rainbow. Be sure that there are always solutions for problems in this world. “True love” is the key to open the lock of discrimination that human has on HIV+ people. No matter what ways we use to help them, a “true love” intention will always puts us and others in a happy and free life forever.  

                                                                                                                          23/6/2012

Reflections of Christmas visit to Bailu Leprosarium

This past Christmas, I chose to go with Ricci Social Services staff (Fr. Howard Lui S.J., staff Teresa Chou, and the driver “Siu Kwan”) to Huizhou, Guangdong to visit the rehab people in the Bailu Leprosarium there.

This is one of Fr. Luis Ruiz’s most concerned communities in his lifetime. At the same time, this was the first time I personally involved after I got to know the services of Fr. Ruiz in his later years. Leprosy-affected people are a community that I never touch before and I can take this opportunity to understand them.

The date of visit was December 24 and 25. Activities included Mass celebration, sharing dinner, and group games.

In the preparation meeting, we come to agreement quickly to implement the planned activities. When talking about the activity expenses, we do not worry too much, as we can adjust according to the funding available, and will not affect our decision of our visit. Of course, we really are thankful to all those who have donated, as we can quickly raised enough money in a very short period of time so that a wealth of activities were possible for these rehab people. These included a delicious Chinese style Christmas meal, a Christmas present and a red pocket for everyone as well as to participate in the game and feel the joy of the lucky draw.

From the start of the driving journey, our staff continued to receive SMS inquiries from the sisters in the leprosarium about the traffic condition and looked forwards to our visit. I learned later on that our visit to the leprosarium is the first time since its establishment that there are people outside to come on Christmas Eve to celebrate Christmas with the rehab people. They feel such a major religious event and are excited at the priest’s special arrival to celebrate Mass for them. In addition to those from Bailu Leprosarium, there was another group of rehab people living 60 kilometers away, as well as more than a dozen Catholic villagers, came specially to participate in the Christmas Eve mass.

The atmosphere of dining with the rehab people at the Christmas dinner was good. They seemed to really enjoy the food and were well fed, with the leftovers packed back to their room so there was no wastage. It was found that they are usually doing their own cooking, with few opportunities to sit in a table to eat together.

Although behind every rehab person has a different story, but they are not unhappy with a straight face in their life. From simple chatting to playing games with them, they are very active and responsive. We introduced Macao's traditional group games ─ “Bingo”, and played with them. Because of incompleteness of their limbs, they cannot play this game with the usual speed, but the level of excitement created through their active participation was the same or even greater. We were glad that they liked this game!

Among the rehab people, the ones that most caught my attention are two young sisters ─ the younger one was less than 20-year-old while her sister was 20-year plus age. The challenges that the One above gave them in fact are true and many: has experienced poverty as well as mom and dad passed away at a young age; was found to be infected with leprosy within a short period of orphanage life, cannot continue their studies and were being sent to Bailu Leprosarium for treatment. Although their conditions were under control after a period of time, but their appearance has been slightly affected. Will they have the confidence to return to community and live independently, or have to stay for rest of their life in the leprosarium? This is my greatest concern. I hope that the staff of Ricci Social Services to help these two sisters to overcome these tests, and hope they can have a great life in the future after experiencing these challenges.

Participating in this event, I can feel Fr. Ruiz’s dictum: "Nothing happier than to make people happy!"

Thank you rehab people! I wish you a happy life! Good health!

Francisa Vong,

Friends of CRSS, January, Macau

The End of Misery

This article was written by Ms. Tian Chunying who is a recovered patient of Xiao Hei Jing rehabilitation centre of Wen Shan De Hou town at Yun Nan Province.

The world is beautiful, but there is a disease likes the devil haunts the human beings.  Anyone who gets attacked will definitely fall in the depths of suffering. In our Mother land, leprosy assaults our body and heart as well.  It makes us cry our eyes out, struggle and wander between life and death.  When will our sufferings end?

In fact, the end of sufferings is not far from us.  You can hear a voice: “Don’t worry about your life, what you’ll eat or what you’ll drink, or about your body, or what you’ll wear”.  God will arrange everything. The Creator of the heaven and earth will make your country prosperous and strong.  In your life, He will nurture a lot of good children who will become angels to implement the will of God.  God wants to send you his angels.  His angels give better care and love to everyone who needs God’s mercy than your loved ones can do. They will use their wholehearted love to cherish and soothe the pain of your body and soul. You are blessed.

Flower blossoms in warm spring, new houses are built in flat land and long-lost smiles are shown on the face of many patients.  Look, how is each of the Sisters with angel’s smile not afraid of patients with physical disabilities?  They will not look at us weirdly as other people do.  They love and take care of us without distance.  They show their full concern to us and guard us days and nights.  They use such a great love to warm the lonely and miserable hearts of the patients here and make the misery disappear.

Oh…they are the angels sent by God and perform the will of God, aren’t they? Yes, they are our guardian angels. As long as we see them, we will feel warmth, comfortable and especially happy, as we are not seeing ordinary people. God is always with them and they are with us. They shine on us with love and we feel warm in our heart.

Beautiful atmosphere permeates through here everyday. Every morning, we can see beautiful angels and sweet voices saying: “How are you doing? Feel hungry? Have you drunk the milk? What’s the matter, anywhere feeling uncomfortable? Are you cold? Do wear more clothes. Oh! You are cleaning up; let me help you! Your clothes are dirty. Please change the clothes and let us wash them. Come and have the haircut, trim the nail, wrap up the foot…! You are so sick; you need to go to hospital quickly!” That is what our guardian angels do to drag the serious patients back from death. Angel sisters and angel aunties, your kindness to us is endless and countless. Thanks for all your hard works! Thanks for everything you have done for us! May our country develop into a more thriving and prosperous country, with united peoples and stable society. May the world is penetrated with the love of God. Let us make our best wishes for our dearest and most honorable angel sisters and aunties! Hope a smiling face is always with you. Wish you peace and everything goes well as you wish!

All the recovered patients from the rehabilitation centre would like to express, from deep down their heart, their sincere thanks to our guardian angels! We all say together: “Angel sisters and aunties, thanks for giving us your endless care and help. Thank you for all your hard works! And also thanks for the love from the Fathers and all the kind people from our society. It is because of your love, we are not lonely anymore. I would like to express my gratitude once again, thank you!”

Making of Calendar 2012 - sharing from Hunan Loving Care Center

(Sharing by Sister Xu of the Loving Care Center, Hunan)

This is our second time at the Hunan Loving Care Center workshop to receive calendar order from Casa Ricci Social Service. The calendar was larger than the previous order by half with a theme of “Love”. Based on the production experience last year, we have full confidence to handle this order and are thankful of the order from Casa Ricci and all those concerned. When the HIV-affected people (herein called workers) held the finished products at their hands, they were over-joy with hopes in their life that are meaningful. They reinvent ed themselves continuously throughout the process. We as serving companions can adequately felt the mutual love and care in their life sharing.

This year the bamboo material we selected are from local Hunan province. Some are from the home of some of our workers. We specifically wanted to help them and order the bamboos from them. The workers were also trustworthy and delivered us their best bamboos that are 3  to 5 years old.

The process of making the calendar were as below:  

1. The workers and sisters formed a team to design the 2012 calendar. The final design was passed to the publishing house for printing.
2. Bamboo selection (for the best bamboo by worker themselves) and transported to the center. Each bamboo was about 10 plus meters. Our workers have to select and cut with a saw the right size of bamboo diameter as they differ in sizes.
3. There was a Chinese knot in each of the calendar. Our center workers have to tie each of the 2000 knots themselves. The knot was very delicate and beautiful, with unique Chinese style. 
4. Peeling off the green skin by a professional wooden master.
5. Cut the peeled bamboo into small sections according to their joints.
6. Cut in the middle the bamboo sections into halves.
7. According to local custom, workers soaked the bamboo into lime water to avoid moth eating. Dried after washing.
8. Draw the dried bamboo sections into standard size by a Sister.
9. Cut and polish into standard size by a worker. After polishing, a worker (professional wood master) drilled holes on the bamboo.
10. A volunteer & sister printed the wordings on the polished bamboo. Another sister ironed the side.
11. Ironing of words were done by two workers, one volunteer and two sisters. Due to the larger number of words (than last year), it was more difficult than before. The workers however, were confident despite sometimes their hands may be trembling and not as skillful. They were serious in doing each stroke right. To bridge the gap of end-September delivery, the workers took initiatives to perform overtime. Everyone was fill with happiness in mobilizing his/her own resources.
12. The small calendars (printed) were ready as scheduled when we have done half of our work. We performed a quality check to select and sort by the month, ready for fixing with the bamboo.
13. Paint Spray：A departure from our usual manual spraying, we introduced a spraying machine (compressed air type) thanks to suggestion by a new worker that is a professional wood master himself. So we purchase one and the effect was great...fast and efficient with beautiful result and smooth coloring. This has leapfrog our center capability and broadened our horizons according to talent of each worker. 
14. “Love” Trimming: This was the most difficult process. Using a wired cutter, the Chinese character “Love” was manually formed by drilling away the extra woods on the bamboo plate. This beautiful character “Love” was the result by the heart of the worker, a creation in its lively making. 
15. Fitting the small calendar.
16. Counting the number of finished products.
17. Packaging.
18. Boxing and quality inspection.
19. Sealing, weighting and preparation for mailing.

Volunteers

This was the second time the Ricci volunteers come to our center. Their energetic participation has brought much life to our center. The center workers (namely the HIV-affected patients) felt their love through their companionship and were surprised by such young volunteers willing to come to live with them and integrated into their large family. This does not only increase their life energy but also make them moved by their love and support from so many friends and volunteers.

Two interludes in our making of the calendars

Interlude 1

There were many angels and numerous support and assistance in the making of these calendars. During the production period, there were many sisters from all over the country to participate in a working training. These sisters also joined the production work in their spare time. This small gesture was a great encouragement to our workers. 

Interlude 2

Many difficulties arose when we were only half done. First the cutting wire for the word “Love” broke and after deliberation we have to purchase a new one. That pushed back our production schedule by more than a week. However, the new cutter broke again when we were near the finish. This time we were really nervous as we would be late in delivering the products. So we have to ask the opinion to Fr. Fernando. Fortunately, Fr. Fernando gave us sufficient time as grace period. Through this experience and communication, we can feel that there was a big force supporting us in our work. Fr. Fernando gave us his encouragement and rapport. He said “these types of problem are common in production works” and said we did not need to be rush. He gave us advice and even suggested us to purchase spare ones for those important machines as standby. Our difficulty was overcome  with ease just like that. This incident broadens our minds and gives us more work experience. 

Sr. Xu

October 2011

p.s. For a complete article with photos explaining the process, please download from:

http://www.casaricci.org/en/whatnew/files/making-of-crss-calendar-2012-en.pdf

Encounter with Fr. Luis Ruiz S.J.

Written by Cecilia is a Casa Ricci's staff at our Macau office responsible for the HIV related program.

He was an ordinary man with a big heart and an angelic smile. His greatness was expressed in countless little acts of kindness. 

I still remember vividly my first “interview” with Fr. Luis which took place six years ago. He didn’t ask about my degree or about my working experience. He just had a friendly chat with me and at the end of our conversation, he simply said, “Come!”  That was all, just “come!”  He made me feel that I was wanted!

Fr. Luis was a quiet man, a man of few words.  Yet he was very observant and very sharp when it came to the essentials.  For instance, one time we were visiting a clinic in Vietnam.  The Director talked on and on about their work and activities.  Fr. Luis listened patiently but at one point he leaned over and whispered to me, “When he finished talking, ask him the following  “#1… , #2… and #3…”.  This was the first time that I experienced how smart and sharp Fr. Luis really was.

Fr. Luis’s engaging smile and sense of humor warmed our hearts!  A few yeas ago I was informed that Fr. Fernando would be absent for about two years to prepare for his final vows and also do some further studies. Naturally I felt some anxiety to have my boss away for such a long time.  One morning not long afterwards Fr. Luis came into the office and walked slowly by my desk, hand in hand, and said to me, “Don’t worry, I have talked with HIM (he pointed his finger upwards), I am not going anywhere during these two years.”  I looked at him and we both laughed. I was touched and grateful for his thoughtfulness.

Every so often Fr. Luis would call to ask for an update on our projects. I informed him of the progress and he would listen attentively and then ask questions. When I was away for a long while he showed that he missed me; “Well, here you are! You disappeared and now you re-appear!” I gave him a kiss on his forehead followed by a hug and said: “I am busy spending your money!” “Good!” he happily replied. Then we sat together and talked about the new projects. 

Fr. Luis was a delightful and adorable man!  However, I once saw him with a sort of sad look on his face - only once.  On that day he walked into the office with a gloomy expression. I was concerned and so I asked Fr. Fernando what was the matter with Fr. Luis. He replied with a smirk on his face, “Spain’s football team lost last night!” 

One winter Fr. Luis’s personal doctor wanted him to stay in the hospital for about a week to heal the sores on his feet.  But Fr. Luis was not willing to stay because the Chinese New Year was approaching.  I promised that if he agreed to stay in hospital I would bring him the newspaper, coffee and crackers daily. He smiled and agreed to stay.  See how easy he was!  One day, he put the newspapers on the bedside and said, “Are you free?”  “Yes!”  “Good, let’s talk!”

“What do you think of President Obama?”

“How about Hilary Clinton? Why….. “Our conversation went on for about an hour. This was the first time that I saw him so talkative, and I was surprised to find out that his interests were so broad.  Except, when he mentioned Afghanistan, I admitted that I didn’t know much about that country.  From that talk, I discovered how well read and knowledgeable he was.  And this was in spite of the fact that he did not talk much and did not express his opinions often.

The impression Fr. Luis gave me was one of total trust!  In all these years, he never questioned or doubted any decision that I made, not even once. When Fr. Fernando and I returned from our first trip to China and Fr. Fernando was informing Fr. Luis  all about our trip; Fr. Luis looked at my report and called out to me, “Good, just do it! Do not worry about money, I have plenty!” His encouragement and faith in God’s Providence has been with me ever since.

I am very grateful for the opportunity I had to get to know Fr. Luis and to work for him.  There is no doubt in my mind that Fr. Luis is thrilled that he got to heaven before all of us, (just look at his smile on the postcard) and I also know that he will continue to pray and watch over us from heaven! 

Cecilia (CRSS staff)

Communication matters!

Text written by Simon Chan, IT professional working in our office in Macao.

 I am Simon Chan, a semi-retired IT professional from Hong Kong working part-time for Casa Ricci in Macau. Though still young at heart, most people would think that I am in the 40+ but I am in fact over 50. Father of two sons, my elder son has graduated and now studying graduate school. My wife and I are volunteers in the Catholic Marriage Advisory Council, organizing Pre-Marriage Courses for those going to get married in the Church. We are also proud to practice and teach Natural Family Planning method in parishes.

My encounters with the Jesuits went back to my secondary school days studying in Wah Yan College HK. The courageous and ground-breaking deeds of Jesuits Fathers led me to enter the Catholic Church and opened the long term relationship with the Jesuits.

The first time I heard about Fr. Luis Ruiz was in 2006 during a trip to the ShuangChuen Island in south of GuangDong province in celebration of St. Francis Xavier’s 500^th year of birth. St. Francis died on that island while waiting to go into mainland China to spread the good news of the gospel. The Wan Yan community in Hong Kong helped to renovate the chapel (or otherwise known as graveyard) and found that Fr. Ruiz was there before us to renovate the mentioned chapel.

I met Fr. Fernando Azpiroz in a Family Movement cell group gathering when he was practicing social service work in Hong Kong. Several years later, after hearing about the love & care work in China started by Fr. Ruiz, I shared the same passion immediately. How  Fr. Ruiz could start the leprosy caring work at the age of 73 without any money or people, but still provide such great service to the poor people in need, was truly an amazing miracle. With common interest in the Apple technology, Fr. Fernando and I started chatting on the modernization of Casaricci back-office and communication work. With God’s will, I am able to work part-time now in the Casa Ricci Macau office, having started in mid-2010.

My work in Casaricci falls under two main categories:

1. Information Technology support. This can be anything from selecting a printer, PC/Mac support, setting up email accounts, Internet access, to designing and operating a photo management system and a database system; and
2. Communication with Benefactors, friends and public. Besides preparing the Casaricci Newsletter “Encounter”, I also set up the Casaricci website (www.casaricci.org), a new pamphlet to introduce Casaricci, and email communication with some selected benefactors.

Through modern technology, we hope to provide more details of our charity work in China. While there are limits as to how much detail we can provide, people can generally appreciate the type of hard works and the challenging environment that we and our partners are facing. Recently we received a number of feedback from emails and letters that they can now understand more of our works through the newsletter, website, blogs etc. These are in fact great encouragement to our work. We also pray that our Lord can reward our front-line workers and partners for their health and happiness either on earth or in heaven.

Simon Chan