A circle of hope

Sheba met a lady today. She was brought by her brother-in-law - who plies the streets of Thane as an auto driver. We will call her Meera. She is HIV positive.

How did this lady come to us?

Some time ago, our main nurse - Sandhya Sainani - took an autorickshaw to the JSK centre. During her ride she talked with the driver and told him to send anyone to our centre who had HIV.

The conversation stuck with the auto-driver. He remembered his sister-in-law - Meera - who had been widowed 7 years ago. He brought her today.

After Sheba saw her and talked with Meera, she asked her whether she had ever heard about Jesus. We usually ask our friends if we can pray with them. Most agree.

Meera's face lit up: "Yes I have!" she said. And she proceeded to tell about how some years ago, when she was living near Varanasi, her son had become very sick. They were taken to the Mission Hospital in a place called Kachhwa - where the boy was looked after for 4 days. People had prayed there and he got better. On the last day, she had heard bhajans being sung to Jesus.

And here she was - thousands of kilometers away from the place - and with people who were also followers of this Jesus.

And here we are - again linked with a small town in eastern Uttar Pradesh - where a century-old hospital continues to be full of light and life. We are proud of Dr. Raju Abraham and the team who have continued to touch so many lives in and around Kachhwa - and have touched an HIV positive lady all the way here in Thane.

Kachhwa Christian Hospital is one of the 20 odd hospitals run through the Emmanuel Hospital Association. KCH has a special bond for us - since it was where Stefan worked for almost 3 years - helping organise the community health and development programme that is now called Nav Vikas. It is a project which I had the privilege of nudging its beginnings into existence during conversations with Dr. Santhosh Matthew who was then serving at KCH - many, many a year ago.

And so, in a small way the circle is complete - our paths here in urban Thane have crossed paths that our dear friends have trodden in far away rural Mirzapur district (best known for its colourful - and late MP Phoolan Devi).

Meera left the JSK centre happy. Though she still faces huge odds in her life - there is hope. Its not going to be easy for this brave lady - but what joy to know that she has already been in touch with people we know - and who have loved her.