Thirukkovil

We set up the clinic in a school building, worked on benches made out of school tables....unthinklable in the UK but definitely effective under these climes.

The last few days have been slightly less busy, I have been seeing (only!) 40 people a day. It still feels like all of this isn’t real, that I am not really here it is so incredibly different from life back home. Days are so busy there is simply no time to reflect on this, no time to think. We are seeing some people with very extreme conditions, not knowing how much help we can actually bring. The morale then goes up and down, between moments of feeling that you are so helpless in the face of people with serious health conditions, poverty, civil war, but then again every little bit helps, and we hear people coming back saying that they aches an pains are gone, or their sleep is finally better after many months. Not everyone gets better with only 5 treatments over the 10 days or so in the village, but a lot of people do, which makes it all worthwhile. I suppose some of the credit goes to our work, but I cannot help to think that the simple fact that we took the time to come and bring help, talk to them, give them warmth, smiles, do our best for the time we are here, that all this has an effect too. Maybe it is placebo, maybe not, but there is value in simply helping people, regardless or what means you use to do it.
It is now almost time to leave and the past few weeks are a bit of a blur, it feels I am daydreaming, not quite believing I am getting to do this. The group of people I am with has also been amazing. We have been getting on so well it feels we have known each other for a lot more than 2 weeks. Trying to write about it all, I find I cannot even phrase things. It has just been an overload of experiences, feelings, meeting with people and a culture, working in extreme conditions. Maybe I need a few days back in London and let it al sink in. I know this has probably changed the way I will work with people and at least for a while given me a bit of perspective on life. We too often forget how fortunate we are, and how the majority of the world population actually has to worry about survival, and question whether one likes their life, job, living conditions is just not something most people have the luxury to worry about or have choices on. I suppose in short this has been an amazing journey for me, and I just hope I have managed to do some good along the way…