This photo of July 2019 came to my notice today. It was a gathering of foster students that Anna and I were associated with in the Medical College from where we retired in 2022. We do have some contacts with most of them now.
During the ten years we were associated with foster students in that Medical College, which was a new experience for students in that Medical College, we experienced a trustful and communicating link with this group.
During the COVID years when the 'lock down' denied get togethers, we met for on-line for conversation.
One special event was a weekly meeting of a group of five residents and consultants for fellowship and conversation in a Zoom platform, which led to a formative and life centred conversation time. One existential question we pursued in that conversation was, 'Who are we becoming and what is our desire'! The meetings continued for two years and three of whom stay in touch and refer to that period as a season of discovering the inner dimension of life!
Most professionals have a chartered pathway for personal journey in work life and family life. They are the essentials we attend to. The work place and family life condition us to 'settle down' to a pathway of ascendency and stability.
The purpose of being and doing goes beyond the routines which form our lives.
It was during this experience with the on line group Anna and I felt encouraged to keep 'accompanying' a few as a way of relating to them. Five years later, we realise how this form of relating has been mutually uplifting and formative. For us, it was an entrance into a world of realities of younger people. For them, it might have been drawing truths about our lives from our journey in life.
It was while we were at the Christian medical College, Vellore between 1997 and 2010, we got introduced to the foster parenting practices of medical students. This was a practice that was in existence in CMC from 1947 when the college became co-educational, residential and students joined the college through sponsorship of from churches and organisations belonging to the Christian Medical College Vellore association. Each faculty family relating to about five to eight students during their five years of undergraduate training became an influence in the lives of students to find a sense of purpose in their life!
Our experience of this in another medical college helped us to stay connected with students at a time when they were open to being supported and enabled!
We become who we are because, in our togetherness with others we receive and give to grow!
M.C.Mathew(text and photo)
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