Community Health Consultation

What an amazing group of people! The stories and examples of meeting people’s needs wholistically was inspiring. Health workers and church leaders from all over Southern Asia came together to learn and to share their experiences with Community Health Education. Some programs were thriving and had seen hundreds of people’s lives impacted in positive ways; people who are overcoming the stigmas of being HIV positive; people who were once struggling to feed their family are now investing in others; people who couldn’t read or right are now finding jobs. It was wonderful.

Over the course of the week we addressed many issues pertaining to the development of wholistic health programs and what to do when confronted with resistance and persecution from people and organizations who may misunderstand the purpose or intent of helping people with their physical, emotional, economic and spiritual needs.

Some of the stories included family members being murdered, Christian workers being raped, homes and churches being burned down while government officials and police officers stood by without intervening. Most of the persecutions and protests had political overtones and were sparked and fanned into full pandemonium by religious zealots whose positions were being challenged. The need for reconciliation between religions, races, creeds and colors is paramount, but where do we begin?

As an outsider I learned a lot about national identity and religious identity and what it means for different people. It’s made me think about the DNA of my own country and what things I identify with as a U.S. citizen. Who am I? What does it mean to be an American, an Indian, a Pakistani, a Nepali? Spiritually I identify myself as a Christian but does that mean to my Sri Lankan friend?

I’ve come to realize more now than ever that my identity as an American or as a Christian comes with a price. To some I am an invader, a perverse corrupter of Eastern beliefs and values; to others a shimmering light of hope. How often do we consider people’s perceptions of us based on our nationality, our religion or the color of our skin? In some circumstances, it may be a matter of life or death? What are you willing to die for; your country, your faith, your race? What really matters?