Chaplain's Corner

One of the most disturbing stories Jesus ever told was one of a person in need and three people who saw the need, two of which chose not to get involved and one who did. We know it as the Parable of the Good Samaritan. The story has three folks coming across the person in need. The first two persons saw the man but for whatever reason, chose not to get involved, chose to turn away and keep their hands clean and their lives uncomplicated by this “problem”. The third saw the man, stopped and helped. He was commended.

The story is not particularly arresting in its facts: a common place reality with common place responses. What is arresting is that in the story it was the “good decent god-fearing folks” who passed by and failed to help but the one who did stop was commonly discriminated against.

Back in October of this past year our hospital served a woman named Manjula Thakkar (I use her real name and health details with signed consent from her family). Manjula had a tragic stroke just a day before the grandchild she came to Canada to welcome into the world was born. However some may consider Manjula unworthy of help; after all, she traveled half-way around the world without travel health insurance. Who does that?

Yet I watched as many “Good Samaritans” responded to her need. I watched as doctors and nurses provided exceptional care above and beyond the call of duty. I watched as people donated to an online funding campaigns to the tune of some $30,000. I watched as local congregations sent cheques totaling $3,745. I watched a nurse give a week of her time to travel with Majula halfway around the world to insure that she got safely home with the medical care that she needed. I watched executives of Southern Health – Santé Sud reach out in exceptional care with unexpected help. I watched as the moral of Jesus story was lived out before my eyes.

But many of you have never come across Manjula Thakkar. You have never had the opportunity to be a “good Samaritan” to this woman. Having worked in this region for the past 14 years, I believe that if many of you heard of the need, you too would be “good Samaritans’ and reach out with whatever help you are moved to provide. I am asking you to consider just that.

This woman left Canada with $65,000, not because she wanted to take advantage of our medial system but because her family’s capacity to pay is so very limited. Her husband is a potato and onion wholesaler, he makes a modest living by the standards of his country, but hardly sees the kind of profits to enable him to pay this bill, especially considering the exchange rate if 50 of his countries dollars to 1 Canadian dollar.

The point is I believe there are a lot of good hearted people who read this column who never had a chance to stand up and say, “I’ll help.” And I want to give you that opportunity. If you would like to help this family put this medical bill to rest all you need to do is write a check to Southern Health -Santé Sud and designate it to be applied to “Manjula Thakkar’s medical expenses”. It doesn’t matter if it is a cheque for $20 or $2,000 – each penny will go to this family saying, “We care and will not walk past you in your time of need.”

If you want to be the kind of person that refuses to turn your head and walk by, send what you can to:

Southern Health – Santé Sud – Regional Office
Box 470, 94 Principale St
La Broquerie, MB, R0A 0W0
Attention: D. Dupuis – “Manjula Thakkar medical expenses”