Music, Meals and Games

Foster family at CMC, Vellore

Anna and I are moving further south, at the end of this month. There are some special memories we carry with us, of our time at the Christian Medical College, Vellore for 13 years and at the Pondicherry Institute of Medical Sciences, Pondicherry for the last 2 years. 

Foster family at PIMS, Pondicherry

One such special memory is of our foster families in both places. Every year we have had two or three students added to this group. We enjoyed having a good blend of students with different interests and talents.

Anna organized regular 'at homes' for them. We often spent time singing, having a leisurely meal and playing games. Their presence was therapeutic for us, as their fun, laughter, conversations and kind gestures made us feel young and encouraged. Of course, Delphine was at the centre of all of these, with a few of them fearing her when they started visiting us. But that also got sorted out as Delphine's temperament was no threat to any one. They became our family friends. We had regular celebrations of birthdays and created other occasions to meet together. Anna's chocolate 'never fail' cake was an added attraction. 

Students have had a special place in our lives and home. We feel touched by their kindness and thoughtfulness. During the time of Arpit's and Anandit's marriages, the foster family at Vellore and their friends looked after all the logistics admirably. We got to know some  of them and their families well. Anna was the warden of the Women's hostel at Vellore for five years, which gave us another opportunity to stay connected with them.

For a season, we had a 'Friday Forum' at home at Vellore, where students came in for dialogue on issues related to life, living and learning. At Pondicherry we had the students from the Evangelical Union coming home for their weekly meetings, till they had the chapel to meet. 

We miss the foster family at Vellore for two years now and would miss the family at PIMS from this month end. They loved us and enriched us. We carry the memories in our hearts and suggest to all teachers in the Medical Schools, to develop a foster family centered in your home. The students will make us more relational and humane. We will get more connected with another generation to become more relevant as teachers and communicators.

My teachers during my under graduate training, taught us during the day, played with us in the evenings and invited us for outings with their families at the week ends. They were our role models, confidants and well wishers.

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)