Assisting at Ashwood
I had the privilege of spending 10 days at Ashwood Mission Hospital, in the rural town of Daund, east of Mumbai. During my time at Ashwood, I was able to witness a number of ways in which Ashwood continues to show the love of Jesus Christ to the community around it.The Ashwood Memorial Hospital was established back in the 1930’s by the Australian Churches of Christ. In a testament to the work of God and growth of church in India the Chief Medical officer, Dr Philemon Pawar, is a grandchild of one of the men who originally built the accommodation bungalow at the hospital.
In addition to offering general surgical, maternity and outpatient services, Ashwood runs a number of initiatives aimed at reaching out into the local community.
1) HIV/AIDS support program
Run out of a recently constructed Community Center and staffed by a chaplain and a number of volunteers, this program aims to shown the love of Jesus, loving and supporting those diagnosed with HIV/AIDS. The program provides education and counseling for those diagnosed with HIV and assists in creating a support network for sufferers. The mechanisms though which they do this are the provision of a Drop-In center, Support Group Meetings and Unit Meetings.
The program has many participants, many with tragic stories. One lady tells how she was tricked by the family into marrying their son, whom they knew to be HIV. She became infected and lost her husband. She is made to work on the farm by the family, with little personal time to rest or visit with others. Yet through the support program she has heard the truth, the message of our Lord Jesus, become a follower and now has a joy and hope, despite the hardship of her life.
During one of the meetings one of these young women told us how thankful she is that she had become infected as it had meant that she had come to the centre, heard the truth and come to know Jesus. The depth of faith and joy in these women blew me away to say the least! God is truly at work here, changing lives through the service of the hospital and its volunteers.
2)Rural area Antenatal program
Using one of the two ambulances, the hospital conducts regular anti-natal clinics in the rural villages in the district surrounding the hospital. One the day of scheduled visit, a Community Health Volunteer (CHV) is responsible for visiting and bringing all the pregnant women in a village to the Ambulance for a scan and check up. On the day we visited the CHV was assisting in bringing ladies (with young children in tow) on the back of a bicycle!
The women are cared for and encouraged to come to the Hospital to give birth. Home birth is still reasonably prominent in rural India, or the decision on a woman’s health are made for her at the time by the head male of the family, in which case she may end up in a different hospital, where her history is unknown and the proper care may not be taken, being detrimental to the health of both mother and baby.
While the check-ups were being conducted, Dr Pawar and I sat for tea with one of the elderly gentlemen of the village. The joy on his face is still fresh in my memory. 25 years ago this man, with a young pregnant wife, was faced with the worrying prospect of a 260km train trip to the hospital for the birth. By chance, someone told this man about the services at Ashwood (only about 15km away) and they were able to make the journey and the birth occurred with no problems. Since then all his children and grandchildren have been born and cared for by the Ashwood Hospital. To sit with this gentleman, his joy at being able to say thank-you to the doctor after so many years, and share with him for a short time, spoke so much of the love of Jesus Christ shared though service faithfully over the years.
3)Diabetes clinics
Due to lifestyle factors, diabetes is a fast becoming a major health concern in India with up to 20% of the population being diabetic. Untreated, this can lead to blindness and limb loss. The hospital conducts clinics in rural villages, providing educational lectures and testing in the village square. Locals are encouraged to have their blood sugar tested, and anyone found to be diabetic is given information and encouraged to come to the hospital for further diagnosis and management. These clinics expand the reach of the hospital and afford the opportunity to share the message of good news and hope to more of the community, who might not otherwise come into contact with it.
4)Financial subsidies for poor and very poor patients
This allows for a basic level of care to be offered to those who would generally not be able to afford it. Each patient admitted to the hospital is ministered to by staff who have a concern for not only their physical wellbeing but their spiritual wellbeing also.
There a number of ways in which we as a greater church can partner with those at Ashwood Hospital;
1) Pray for the staff and the work of Ashwood.
2)Visiting teams to assist with medical clinics and building/maintenance works
3)Financially - funds are required for the ongoing charity work of the hospital and the programs it runs.
4)Funding for capital expenditure
I don’t know when my path will lead back to India, only God knows such things, but I am grateful for the opportunity to meet and share with my brothers and sisters as they share God’s light and love in the darkness. I pray that we, that I, would be faithful partners with them in God’s work.
Debbie Unwin
WA volunteer assisting at
Ashwood Hospital, Daund, India
22/8/2009 to 4/9/2009