Anna and I watched a 24 hour global on-line celebration of Dr Ida Scudder's 150th Birthday yesterday, which was organised by the Christian Medical College, Vellore. Dr Scudder founded the hospital at Vellore in 1900 at a young age of 30 years. It was a fascinating and inspiring recollection of her call, response, training life and circumstances which led her to start a one bed dispensary which is currently a hospital with a capacity for 3000 in-patient's.
There were four generations of professionals or their families who participated and shared the version of their story or observations about aunt Ida yesterday on the on line celebration.
Across the four generations, what was a common observation about Dr Scudder's resolve to establish a medical college to train women. From 1948 onwards the college admitted men students. The first Nursing College in the country was also established at Vellore, although later.
Anna and I felt moved by the touching stories shared by few senior staff and faculty members who had an opportunity to meet her or work with her. When she retired, she would still go to the wards to meet with patients and pray for them. She withdrew from any 'interfering role' and lived in a single room in the Big bungalow annexe during most of the year and the summer months in her cottage at Kodaikanal. She lived remembering and serving people even at an advanced age.
One senior citizen remembers her as a 'kind' person. Another person mentioned that Dr Scudder attended to the needs of others. To remember her for those not so commonly seen qualities is rather special. Every week, when she was able, she spoke in the college chapel from I corinthians 13, exploring the different dimensions of Love(charity). That tells a lot about her orientation in life.
It was mentioned yesterday that while Dr Scudder's room was getting cleared after her home call, someone found the following handwritten prayer in her diary. It is this prayer, since then which has been in wide circulation and referred to by many as a lasting legacy of Dr Scudder, This prayer revealed the way she lived a devoted life of depth and purpose.
'Father, whose life is within me and whose love is ever about me,
grant that this Life may be maintained in my life today and every day,
that with gladness of heart, without haste or confusion of thought,
I may go about my daily tasks, conscious of my ability to meet every rightful demand,
seeing the larger meaning of little things and finding beauty and love every where.
And in the sense of Thy presence may I walk,
through the hours, breathing the atmosphere of love, rather than anxious striving'
During our of 18 years of association (during two occasions) in the faculty, there was a reference to her prayer and her favourite hymn, 'Be Thou my vision..' almost every day in some conversation. The other theme which surfaced often in conversations was the motto of the institution, 'not to be ministered unto but to minister'!
During my term in the CMC council to chair its meetings, I remember beginning all the meetings by reading from I Corinthians, sing the hymn 'Be thou my vision..' and end with Dr Scudder's prayer mentioned above. Some found it inspiring. I wish it would continue!
Anna and I felt once again yesterday that the CMC community is a grateful and recollecting community. That to us could be one of the reasons for CMC to stay on course and remain faithful to its fonder's vision!
M.C.Mathew(text and photo)
No comments:
Post a Comment