Medical Director
Anthony Lazzara, M.D.,
SFO

Home

Bio

Villa la Paz Newsletter
   » Archives

The Children

How you can help

I think that everyone comes to a point in life when things seem out of control, events are not falling into place, order seems to have been lost. At times such as these the good being accomplished seems hidden and one only sees the negative influence on the person doing the reflecting, they can actually strengthen and inject an element of hope and vigor into one's work. Our home remains hopelessly overcrowded. The phone rings, there is a knock at the door and I shudder to think that there may be another child that requires admission. Should I say no, we cannot accept more children? Should I take the child and then worry about where he/she will sleep later? Will the personnel and infrastructure of the home support another child? Should I prioritize and only accept the severely ill? But if I do so, would I not exclude children who are not severely ill but nonetheless would not receive the care they need? And so I begin to question my ability to work effectively, to furnish adequate care to all the children who need it and a feeling of hopelessness sets in. Mystics and ascetics have written of the dark night of the soul when all support from Providence seems withdrawn and one is left totally alone. Mother Theresa of Calcutta suffered such a trial during the last 40 years of her life, feeling that God had left her, did not love her and her work was useless. However, despite her anguish, she never stopped exhorting people to "do something beautiful for God." At the end of these periods of utter hopelessness and destitution the person experiences an awakening, an epiphany of God's presence and solicitude. In the midst of my struggles during the last several months I was given an epiphany.

It came in the guise of Jean Carlos, a 6 year old from a very remote village who had been abandoned by his parents and was being raised by his grandmother, an elderly woman of over 70 years. He was obviously retarded and from the age of 6 months had suffered from cataracts, which severely limited his vision. He did not speak and walked holding on the surrounding objects. My first reaction was negative. What could I possibly do for such a child? He was moderately to severely retarded with little hope of normal development and subsequent independence. I voiced my concern to his grandmother. With a voice and demeanor full of faith she said, I want him to see, if God wills it. I have faith that if he sees, he will continue to develop and improve?" She asked me to call his name, which I did. He cocked his head, localized my voice, approached me very haltingly and hugged me. She began to weep and I could not turn him away. There was no space in the boy's room so we put him in a crib in the nursery. Needless to say, his grandmother was right. The cataracts were removed two weeks later and his vision returned. He has since made remarkable progress, standing on his own, taking steps without holding on to objects and he will hopefully continue to develop to his full potential. I have no illusions that he will be a normal child but he now has a distinct advantage which he did not have before and it is all due to his grandmother's faith.

Jean Carlos and his grandmother showed me how small and inadequate my faith is, how I can let myself be lulled into thinking that I alone can solve the problems and effectively manage the day to day impasses that crop up. They showed me that without faith we are unable to do the work that God has entrusted to us:

I believe that God gives us all the strength we need to help us to resist in all times or distress. But it is never given in advance lest we should rely on ourselves and not on God alone.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer

When we face our powerlessness, strength will be given to us Sister Virginia An Froehle, R.S.M. We thank you for making this work of faith possible. We love you and wish you God's peace.

Click here to see some photographs about these and other cases