Sr Mary Eliza, the everyday face of love
The 42-year-old nun, of the Associates of Mary Queen of Apostles, has been running the St George dispensary in Sherpur since 2009. She visits 40 patients a day, 90 per cent of whom are Muslim. Infertility and infections are the most common ailments. ‘We don't just offer treatment, but also dignity,’ she told AsiaNews. ‘If we all practised unconditional love, the world would be more beautiful and peaceful’.
Dhaka (AsiaNews) - ‘I begin each visit by saying: With faith in Jesus Christ, I give you these medicines,’ 42-year-old Sister Mary Eliza, who serves at the St. George dispensary in the parish of Mariamnagar, Sherpur, told AsiaNews. ‘By the grace of God, may my patients be healed,’ she added.
For over a decade, Sister Eliza, of the Associates of Mary Queen of Apostles, has brought hope to one of the most disadvantaged communities in Bangladesh, where 90 per cent of patients are Muslim. As the whole world celebrates Valentine's Day, it embodies a timeless message: every day is an opportunity to share the love of Christ.
‘In the most remote villages, people often give birth in ponds, causing serious skin infections,’ explains the nun. ’Others struggle with infertility due to complications from contraceptive methods. We don't just offer treatment, but also dignity.’
Every day, Sister Mary Eliza treats about 40 patients; she has been running the clinic since 2009, after obtaining a degree in nursing from the Kumudini Nursing Institute in Mirzapur. From skin diseases to respiratory infections and infertility problems, the nun and her staff treat a range of ailments with compassion and expertise.
Many people travel up to 50 km to be treated by her, often referred by relatives or acquaintances who praise the professionalism of the dispensary, in a context where healthcare is absent or of poor quality. Rupaly Akter, a Muslim woman, credits Sr Eliza with having ended her eight-year desire for motherhood.
‘After years of marriage, the nun visited me five months ago. Four months after her treatment, I became pregnant. My husband and I are deeply grateful to her,’ she says. These stories are common: every week, women arrive with similar challenges and many leave with renewed hope.
Although the clinic only charges 1,500 Tk (about 12 euros) for delivery services - a fraction of the standard rates - Sr Eliza's mission transcends economic convenience. ‘Our patients are very needy. They cannot afford MBBS doctors, so they come to us and find services that can guarantee their healing,’ she says.
Her treatments have aroused curiosity about Christianity, but she doesn't take advantage of the many questions about her faith. ‘I tell them that every faith is good, to practice any religion with sincerity,’ she says.
For Sr Eliza, true love is free and without interest. ‘If we all practised unconditional love, this world would be more beautiful and peaceful,’ she reflects. In a region where poverty and faith intersect, her clinic is a beacon of Christ's compassion, demonstrating that the most profound evangelisation is often wordless, written in acts of mercy. The St. George dispensary continues to be a lifeline for the marginalised of Sherpur, overcoming religious divisions through the universal language of care.
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11/04/2016 11:22
