The bustle of people meets you immediately at the airport. The many sounds—sometimes deafeningly loud—can be heard from every direction during the drive from the airport to our accommodation. The smells, the colors, everything all at once. The contrast to our quiet street back home in Sweden could not be greater. And yet, it feels so much like home.
During two gatherings with our co-workers, just over twenty people, I shared from the Gospel of Matthew 5:14 about being the light of the world. A light we have not lit ourselves, but a light that God Himself has lit within us, where He shines through us. A light that shines not for ourselves—for a lamp never shines for its own sake. It shines for others. The light that shines through us touches the people around us, not through big words, but through our actions. We spread God’s love through practical deeds. And where God’s light is allowed to shine through us, darkness must give way. For darkness can never overcome the light. Never ever. “I see Jesus in every human being. I say to myself, this is hungry Jesus, I must feed him. This is sick Jesus. This one has leprosy or gangrene, I must wash him and tend to him. I serve because I love Jesus.”
On Wednesday, we visited a hospital we collaborate with, where we had a scheduled meeting with the director. It is the only hospital in the city that receives patients who cannot afford to pay for medical care themselves. This is where we bring the children we support who need medical treatment or various kinds of surgery. The cost is subsidized, and most remarkable of all is that the work is not supported by a single organization but by an extensive collaboration between around one hundred organizations and companies that fund the operations. Among them are WeightWatchers, Specsavers, and organizations from Spain, Ireland, Italy, and more. Everyone contributes to making it possible for the hospital to continue its work.
The hospital has all the equipment one could imagine and can perform most types of surgeries and treatments. There is both an eye department and a dental clinic, and the operation includes a total of 44 doctors with various specialist competencies, plus more than 20 surgeons. Many of these doctors come in to work extra hours alongside their regular positions at other hospitals. The ENT specialist, for example, comes in two evenings a week and is able to treat five patients each time. Every year, more than 3,000 inpatients receive care, and in total the hospital reaches around 55,000 people annually through various medical efforts. The police bring in sick individuals directly from the streets. After treatment, elderly patients are not left to fend for themselves—Missionaries of Charity (Mother Teresa’s organization) steps in to offer continued care and security. Orphaned children are placed in different homes that the hospital cooperates with, where they are allowed to stay, grow up, and live in a safe environment.
On our final evening, we were invited to a wedding together with several of our co-workers. The bride was a young woman who grew up in the slums and completed twelve years of schooling through our program, followed by a bachelor’s degree. Today she works at a government hospital – a clear testament to what long-term support and education can mean for a person’s future. Her journey, from vulnerability to secure employment and a stable life, bears witness to a new and much brighter future. It is a reminder that change is possible. Together, we help transform God’s love into practical action – and step by step, the light overcomes the darkness.
Shirin & Björn Bryne
Secretaries General, IndianChildren
