The First of the Last

It is Easter Sunday, and I just finished making rounds at the hospital.  In a land where most of the people are Hindu, and the rest are Buddhist, the Easter morning celebrations are muted.  There does not appear to be an Easter Bunny, at least I didn't find any jelly beans hidden in the corners of my room, despite my looking and hoping for some.  It is my last day of rounds in Point Pedro.  I will leave for Mullaitivu tomorrow morning.

I start my rounds with Dr. Ruantha on Ward 2.  Once these are completed, I go to Ward 7, and round with Dr. Prim.  I was feeling a little sad that I was leaving, after just getting to know them.  Both doctors are very talented and smart.  They are efficient, and have good senses of humor. They asked me to come back to Ward 2, where I had started.  When I arrived, I was asked to sit down.  Shortly thereafter, the nurses and Dr. Prim arrived from Ward 7.  The nurse from Ward 2 had made up some small plates with food, and a tray of cups filled with Sprite.  She handed these out to all of us, thanking me for being there.  I tried to tell her that it is I who should be thanking them.  They were always going out of their way to be nice to me, and to make sure that I was in the right place at the right time.  I was very touched by this effort.  The food was a small piece of cake, a couple of biscuit cookies, and a vegetable wrap.  It was pretty hot and very humid, and the spices in the vegetable wrap were HOT!!  I ate the whole thing.  My upper lip was sweating, my nose was running, and my brow was dripping.  It was great!  They had known me for less than two weeks, but had completely included me in everything.  And now they were thanking me with a special midmorning "tea".  I fear that this is the first of the last suppers.  As my time here winds down, it is hard to ignore the kindness of the people who have survived a 29 year civil war, yet have a smile on their faces, and a cheerful greeting every morning.  I am sure that they have scars that we will never see, that they keep hidden in their effort to maintain normalcy.  They have so little in the way of possessions and money, but they have so much when it comes to kindness and compassion.  I have learned so much.