Fourteen years ago, in 2004, I published an article in The New Leader, with the title, “Give My Eyes to My Cousin.” It was the true story of Rajalakshmi, a sixteen-year-old student, who was hit by a lorry as she was carrying lunch for her father, a daily labourer. Though taken to a hospital, she did not survive. Before dying, and while being in agonizing pain, she did something that touched many hearts. She asked that her eyes be donated to her cousin Bhuvana, who was blind. This was done at CMC Hospital, Vellore.
I was struck by two things—the awareness of this teenager from a poor family (about eye donation) and her thoughtfulness towards others while she was facing death.
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Another true story.
Father Lawrence (name changed, since he does not like publicity), a diocesan priest in Telangana, noticed a woman who came to the church, prayed a long time and wept. He asked her if she wanted to talk about any problem. The woman told him that she was desperate. Her husband was very sick. Both his kidneys were failing. He needed a new kidney. They could not afford to pay a donor. No family member’s kidney matched his.
What do you think Fr Lawrence did? What would YOU do in such a situation?
The priest asked to see her husband’s medical reports. He made a copy. He got himself tested, and found that his kidney would match the sick man’s. He spoke to the woman, “Get your husband admitted for surgery…
Fr. Joe