Για να το διαβάσετε στα Ελληνικά, κάντε κλικ εδώ
Last week, an El Al flight from Marseilles, France to Tel Aviv, made an emergency landing in Athens, due to a woman feeling ill on the plane.
After medical checkups at the airport, the woman, accompanied by her husband, had to go to the hospital for further exams before she could continue her trip. They were brought to the Gennhmata public hospital, which was on duty. Nehama, knowing French, went to help them with the procedures. (They didn't know English, and of course, neither Greek!).
The situation in the emergency department was a catastrophe. Dozens and dozens of patients were waiting for overbusy doctors, laying or sitting in pain in the corridors for hours. Stress, tension, disillusion... (For you to get an idea, Nehama arrived at the hospital at 21:00 and left with the couple at 7:30 next morning. But people there said such long waits are an exception).
Yet, some people, instead of complaining, were trying to cheer each other up, help each other when there was a need... There is always a choice of how to react to difficult circumstances...
At some point, as a doctor went out of one of the examining rooms, one upset lady shouted at him: "We are waiting here for hours! You are all indifferent!". The doctor calmly answered: "If I were indifferent, I would not be here".
This made a big impression on Nehama. What a statement, what an inspiration: the doctor was not able to take care of everyone, but he was doing what he could. We also may not be able to solve all problems, but we need to be present, we need to show empathy, we need to do something. We cannot stay indifferent and continue on our way: it's up to us to bring a change, even a small one.
The end of the story was a happy one: the couple was able to travel to Israel the next day, in time to attend the Brit Mila of their grandson.
May we always share good news,