Remembering the Pedia Ward

I am re-posting my old journal entry from my old multiply account, dated JULY 11, 2007! That was five years ago. Hospitals, wards, sick patients, had once been a big part of my life. At kahit hanggang ngayon, kapag nakakakita ako ng hospitals, wards, patients, lalo na ang mga stroke patients, my heart still melts.

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Event: Gift-Giving last December 2005 by Capitol City Baptist Church [Social Concern Ministry]
Multiply Blog Entry: Created last July 11, 2007 http://march09.multiply.com/journal/item/36/Pedia_Ward_Shots

"December 2005. I remember Ate Irene Figueroa, encouraging me to join the Social Concern’s Christmas project “Gift-Giving at East Avenue Medical Center.

With my 5-year pre-medical background/experience in college most especially my one arduous year internship to different hospitals, in and out of the city, I responded “yes” to ate Irene’s offer. I missed intentionally connecting with patients so I also brought with me a point and shoot digital camera. I was unknowledgeable with photography that time. Nor i had any photography interest. But I remember my heart just wanted to capture the exact emotions of every patient’s gesture and eyes. Those weak hands, the inner cries, the moans when pain triggers, the bothered parents, the down shoulders of a patient but with eyes expectant of his/her discharge. 

We were headed to the depressing PEDIA Ward. Ooohhh. It instantly reminded me of my one month duty at Philippine Orthopedic Center [POC], Pedia Department and my ten-year-old patient who got a broken leg due to a falling accident, abandoned by parents and was left all alone at the hospital with his daily anticipation that someday his father would come back to bring him home.

I met this boy everyday in one month.

 

In one of my therapy sessions to that poor, little boy (i can’t remember his name), I shared a story about a wonderful person who once walked this earth and made a great difference to the hurting people, including children like him. At the end of the story and our talk, he accepted Jesus into his heart.

I finished my duties at the said hospital with joy, not because of the grades or the remarks I have received from the hospitalsupervisors but because I was able to introduce and tell a story about His heart and kindness to a little boy. An innocent, abandoned child.

We did not miss any dismal pediatric room. And in every Pedia room, the CCBC team prayed for each patient’s financial provision and healing.

I did a number of pedia shots but I have a few favorites. And it wasn’t gloomy anymore after a blessed and productive morning of extending grace to the Pedia Ward."

Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." 

[Matthew 19:14]

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