Enabling environment

One of the delights of my work is to witness some unusual sights of child development first hand.

This 18 months old child sprang a surprise by moving from his sitting position to standing for the first time, to the delight of all of us. What may have prompted him was the sight of a ball on the chair and and some other toys in the shelf. His parents were overtaken by joy watching this happen. It looks as though an enabling environment existed for this child to make this transition.

I have often wondered about an enabling environment. Let me share the story of a doctor who went to work in a rural hospital for a period of two years.

This lady doctor went to a hospital which was going through a difficult time with hardly any patient coming to the hospital or the hospital team being proactive to create a welcoming atmosphere for patients. This doctor was given a dingy to room to live in the campus and was assigned no responsibility. She had to hear criticism about the hospital where she was trained. She felt threatened by unknown people knocking at her door at nights. She was discouraged and was about to discontinue her sponsorship obligation to her hospital.

 At the end of one year she got herself transferred to another hospital, where she realized that a new facility to care for babies after they are born in the hospital, was the felt need of the hospital. She designed and created a facility to care for pre term babies after getting necessary advice form her teachers where she was trained. This facility became so popular that babies were referred to this hospital for care from other hospitals. She decided to stay on for an extra year after completing her sponsorship obligation till someone else came to take care of this new facility. After five years, this facility has grown further that the hospital has welcomed a Paediatrician to oversee this facility. A senior doctor who narrated this story to me said, 'She was full of enthusiasm and good will that she won our hearts'. 

I realize once again that, an enabling environment is what will let anyone attain his or her potential. This can happen when we are ready to view people as resources and God's provision.

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)