A Tribute to Le Hua

A Tribute to Le Hua ~~~God’s Beautiful Flower by
Sr. Marvie L. Misolas, MM July 24, 2009 Maryknoll NY
More than one month ago, the Social Work department referred Le Hua to live temporarily at the center after a week from the hospital; the family does not want her back. She committed suicide by drinking strong cleaning liquid. She has depression. The frail, emaciated and pale looking Le Hua sat with us as we discussed her arrangement of her stay at the center. What was agreed for a week at the center lasted for about a month, the social worker who worked on her case, did not follow up with us. Meanwhile, we were getting so concerned that her situation was not improving. She tried to eat the little she can take, but she vomits everything afterwards. She was clearly in depression sleeping most of the day. I would get her up to take a bath or get her down to sit in the dining area, and even encourage her to walk around. Her vomiting was becoming serious we took her to the hospital, and the doctors eventually determined the cause of her vomiting. Part of her intestine closed during healing because of the wound from the cleaning liquid she drank. She was admitted for operation. I instructed our social worker to call Le Hua’s social worker to no avail, and told her to call the supervisor. The next day, the social worker called and promised she will visit her. She never showed up to check with Le Hua, so we continued to visit Le Hua in the hospital. After the operation, she was doing so well. But one day, the hospital called the center to tell us she was rushed to the ICU because her pulse was very low. She stayed at ICU for almost three weeks and her condition grew worse. One day, we came to visit her, and found she took out all her oxygen and monitor tubes. When we asked her why she did that, she just smiled a bitter smile. I asked her if she is afraid to die, she shook her head. When we said goodbye, she was crying. We told her to have courage and fight for her life. She died early this week. Le-Hua is free now, from her depression, from the pain of being alone, from the hurt of being discarded by her family, from being ignored. She is now with her Creator, celebrating her name ~ Le Hua, beautiful flower just as she is.
I feel a stabbing pain when I heard the news of her death, while here in NY. I feel anger about what happened to her. However, we have no control over her situation. Her story is another example how women are treated so unfairly in our society. Our help was too late.

Yesterday, one of the women came up to me and said, "When I die I will leave you my apartment!" I looked up to her and she was really serious, showing me a piece of paper she wrote stating she wills the entire property to me. I smiled.

August 2009 Newsletter Article

Reflection on the Samaritan Woman at the Well
by Marvie L. Misolas, MM

Last June 10th, I was invited to a radio interview by Da Jian Radio Station, 99.1 FM in Central Taiwan. Before the actual interview, Wan-ru, our radio host, asked me to comment on the story of Jesus and the Samaritan Woman at the well. She wanted me to reflect on the narrative in relation to my/our work with homeless women at Good Samaritan Women Center.

Three points I would like to reflect on:
1. Jesus approach and initiate the conversation with the Samaritan woman.
2. Jesus and the woman talked about her past.
3. Jesus revealed himself as the Messiah, the Samaritan woman believed, asked Jesus for the living water.

1. The Samaritan woman in the story reflects the present day homeless men and women. They have their shadowed past. Society looked down on them, and most times avoid them. The Samaritan woman comes to the well at the time when nobody or not many people fetch water, avoiding the crowd. Most homeless are like this, they avoid the crowd, except some who do panhandle. Homeless come to Taichung Station late at night, when not many waiting passengers are around, so they can sit and rest for the night. Jesus initiates the conversation with the Samaritan woman, asking a drink of water. He sought her despite her trying to avoid crowd. Our work with homeless men/women entails us to seek them and initiate the conversation, trying to be a friend to them. It takes many tries before we get a smile and response. It is important to see the nobodies of our society and make them feel that someone cares. In purposeful encounter like this, two strangers get to know each other. Like Jesus, passing no judgment to the Samaritan woman and breaking the stereotypes and taboos of his day, we too are called to do the same to the Samaritan women of our times.

2. In dealing with women in the streets, we initiate the conversation, even if they don’t trust us. “What do you care, if I am homeless?” “Nobody talk to us, we are nobody, people don’t see us; they only think we are criminal and lazy people!” After a long period of visiting, the women begin to tell their story, their past. The women begin to trust others. Forgiveness comes with trusting ourselves and others. Revisiting the past, no matter how hurting it was, helps the women face the present situation and make decisions that may change their lives for the better.

The Samaritan woman’s experience with Jesus led her to see deeply who she is. She is able to accept her truth when Jesus told her that she has indeed no husband and that the man whom she is with is her partner. Trusting someone whom we can talk about the truth within us, we are freed from our illusions, safe spaces within and around us are created. The dark secrets of our being are exposed to light. We are no longer afraid and ashamed of the past.

One day, this young woman was brought to us by the police. According to the police officer, she is homeless, her family does not want anything to do with her. She told the police officer she is recuperating from a major surgery. On this account, she was admitted to the center for the three-month temporary residency. She insisted that she needed to rest until she is fully recovered from the surgery, before she can work. After about two weeks we found out that everything she told us were not true and that there was never an operation. The confrontation brought her shadows to light. She was given another chance to stay at the center and eventually find a job.


3. The Samaritan woman asked Jesus to give her living water. She believed that Jesus is the Messiah. She became the first evangelizer when she went home to her town and announced that she had found the messiah and many Samarians believed in Jesus.

In 2006, A-ti and I met at the bus station. She was leaning in one of the posts, near 7-11, quite heavy, hands and legs filled with blackish wound and with shaved hair. I noticed her angelic face with sad eyes. Parked nearby is her three-wheeled bicycle cart she used to collect recyclables. I said hello and smiled. She was delighted and looked at me with a wonderful smile, her teeth all brownish chewing the betel nut. I offered her some food and she ate. Afterwards, I invited her to come to the center and asked if she wants to rest or take a shower. She came to the center and slept the whole afternoon. She came regularly until she asked if she could live at the center. We began processing her case, found her family and eventually enrolled her to a mentally challenged training program. She now lives in a supervised living program run by Catholic Church. She works as a cleaning staff in one of the university. Last year, she started to learn the doctrine and was baptized at Easter this year. She came to visit with us recently and told us that she is already baptized. She also told me that she came to the hospital at the time of my operation and prayed for me. Her wholeness and wonderful self came out. It is truly a beautiful witness to us and other women. She has found Jesus and drank of the living water.