I can’t express how difficult it is to see human beings living in such conditions. They left their country to escape rape and violence. Now they are dealing with something else: terrible living conditions. ”
I don’t know where to start from for this second humanitarian mission dedicated for the Rohingya community. I can’t express how difficult it is to see human beings living in such conditions. They left their country to escape rape and violence. Now they are dealing with something else: terrible living conditions.
I realized my first week at the Syrian borders repaired and strengthen my soul but the second week the challenge was bigger: LEARN TO BE PATIENT
I thought I was a patient person back home, LOL…well I’ve learned in the past few days that I am the most impatient human being. My Rohingya patients are the real definition of Patience. To give you an example a venomous snake appeared over my head in my exam room in the clinic made of bamboo. My translator cried out at me snake !! He explained to me a bite from it and we are done since the closest established hospital is more than an hour away and probably doesn’t carry the anti-venom. The point is I had to deal with this risk for two days knowing the snake is around and can appear anytime again (which it did) but for the whole Rohingya population the struggle isn’t even comparable to what they deal with on a daily basis.
For me I didn’t know anything about the struggles in life REALLY NOTHING. I don’t know what’s living in an unprotected shelter from dangerous animals. I didn’t know what’s living in fear from getting shot or killed. I didn’t know what’s having family members victim of rape and violence. I didn’t know what’s eating rice lentils and oil for 30 days and knowing it won’t last the whole month for me and my family. I didn’t know what’s walking 20 days to escape my country with only water and no food. I didn’t know anything about the struggles of life.
All this and these people still have hope, and it only comes when you really understand the meaning of patience. Patience isn’t when you have your coffee 20 minutes later than usual because of traffic. Point is if you have a good shelter, clean water enough food and the feeling of peace and security with your family. Well let me tell you the other struggles of life will be difficult but to a way lower level we just don’t realize it. I had to learn to bear working in a tough environment with low resources and had to develop a virtue : PATIENCE
That’s what the Rohingya community has been working on for years now and that’s why they are sometimes so resilient to different and difficult things in life like not having clean water or enough food.