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| Religious brothers and sisters pray for patients who died of the coronavirus at a field hospital in Ho Chi Minh City. (Photo: YouTube) |
At 7.30am at field hospital No. 16 in Ho Chi Minh City,
religious brothers and sisters began their shift with prayers for patients who
had just passed away due to the coronavirus.
Those frontline workers are members of
different congregations in the southern city who volunteer to assist medical
staff in taking care of patients with Covid-19 as well as carry out logistical
work.
In July, the standing committee of the
Fatherland Front of Vietnam called for the voluntary participation of
dignitaries and followers of religions in Ho Chi Minh City in
stemming the contagion.
Soon after, about 700 volunteers from religious
organizations joined in at field hospitals.
Besides taking care of the sick and logistics,
they also perform a special task: pray in front of the cold room of those who
succumbed to Covid-19 every day.
"All medical staff and volunteers are
aware of their role as the patient's family member because the patients came
here alone. If the patient dies, even the family cannot be present. Therefore,
I always want to do something for them. We also pray for all the patients here,"
said Sister Thuy Linh, a member of the Sisters of St. Paul of Chartres.
She compared this pandemic to a war that no one
had imagined: "This is indeed a very fierce battle. Realizing such
fierceness, we have a duty to join hands with doctors and nurses. We came here
to assist and work with medical staff.”
Brother Quang Phung, a Redemptorist seminarian,
explains what the volunteers actually do in the field hospital: "Taking
care of patients is a general term. In particular, we change diapers, change
beds, take food for patients to eat, visit and encourage them. If the patient
needs anything, we will go get it for the,."
Sister Thuy Link says this is not an easy job,
especially as she has to wear a disposable medical protection suit.
"I never have any thought of giving
up," she says. "I'm surrounded by people who need a breath. While I
can still breathe, I need to help them."
Duc Trung Vu and Tran Ngoc Huong, CSsR
