Reflection

This evening, I am faced with the question "what did I get out of my time at the leprosy center at Karigiri?" The lessons I have learned through quiet introspection, prayer, and reading were priceless, but what about the social, relational, missional aspects of my trip. What about the research I came here to be involved in? Well, my experience at Karigiri was not what I expected, as I mentioned before. I expected to assist in an ongoing research project in which I would: 1) contribute to the scientific body of knowledge, 2) gain experience in how to conduct tropical medicine research in a third world setting, 3) list a unique research project on my medical school application. For the most part, none of these came to fruition. I would hesitate to say that I contributed much, though I may not be aware of ways I did contribute. I would hesitate to say that I know how to navigate my way through research in tropical medicine, though I am closer than I was before. And I would hesitate to put on my med school application that I was involved in a research project in leprosy, though I was involved with several projects at a leprosy research center (and I can still say that! Ha!).

A valuable lesson that I did not expect to learn is that you can't just limit a person's illness to one area of treatment. People are so complex! I had the opportunity to see a man in a rural village who had a severe eye infection, and then a few weeks later, I watched the surgeon fix his eye at the hospital. I learned how to rehabilitate a leprosy patient's "claw hand" to prep him for reconstructive surgery, then watch the surgery a few days later, then watch the occupational therapists teach him how to use his newly formed hand for his job as a farmer a few weeks after that. This kind of exposure would not be possible at most medical centers, and especially not at most reseach. I tasted the joy of seeing a newlywed couple of leprosy patients, who may have never been able to marry had they not been introduced to one another by some of the nurses. The taste of this joy is exotic and rare and it's something I never could have anticipated.

I have a new respect for those medical missionaries who have gone before me and who I wish to emulate with my life. Seeing the incredible influence and impact that Dr. Paul Brand and Dr. Ida Scudder had in this entire region of India really inspired me. On the other hand, the oven that is otherwise known as south India, from which there seems to be no escape (not even medical facilities), has deepened my respect for those who have buffeted their bodies into submission and learned to accept the environment (and this goes for the power outages, ubiquitous lizards, ubiquitous public urination, and the dirty surgical drapes as well). It's really all just a matter of perception, and it's something that just takes time. Five weeks here has gotten me farther than I thought in this process also. I really thank God for making the lessons He wished to teach me plainly obvious to me in my time at this leprosy center. I have high hopes for the next three days in Rameshwaram too. At the very least (and I say this with reservation because I want to avoid expectation and thus disappointment), I hope to see the ways God is moving in south India and to discuss with someone the role of Western believers in this movement. I leave tomorrow at 9:45 am for Chennai, arrive at noon, then leave Chennai at 5:30 pm for Rameshwaram, arriving at 5:15 am the next morning. I've chosen to take the lowest class of train travel for economic and ethical purposes. This basically means sleeping under the stars on a rickety train with the poorest of the poor (Ok, I suppose those who couldn't afford a ticket at all would be poorer); but it's worked out so far, and I hope and pray for the best in the next few days. Peace!