A Little Feeling After the Trip

Stepping into the Women's Psychiatric Camp, we were warmly welcomed with such simple and lovely words.

When I was young, I was very afraid of mentally ill people, because I was chased by them and ran for my life. Since then, every time I see them, I run away first to make sure. Even though I'm not as scared as I was when I was growing up, I still feel scared.

A teacher told me: "If you want to stop being afraid, there is only one way and that is to overcome fear." Indeed, after a few meetings, I was no longer afraid, on the contrary, I felt very sorry for them. Coming into contact with them, I learned many valuable lessons for myself.

I entered the camp and stayed with them in a closed environment. Cut hair, cut fingernails, cut toenails, talk to them about endless stories in a fun and friendly atmosphere.

We came to help, but perhaps it was they who gave us positive energy. They gave us  100% trust and we gave them our best effort in return. Overcoming our own fears, overcoming the initial worries because we didn't know how to cut their hair... We did it, not with confidence in our skills but with a loving heart in return for smiles, hugs of thanks, some even paid Sister 10 thousand for a haircut.

Saint Therese of Lisieux had the secret to becoming a Saint simple: “Do small things with great love; do trivial things with extraordinary love." Thank God for leading us to them, to love, to understand, to help within our ability, in very small tasks but with great love. Hopefully they will receive more attention to compensate for the hurts and losses they have encountered along the way.

Elizabeth Hong Tham