As Columban missionaries we try to live out the Gospel message through witnessing the love of God to others, especially in responding to our mission priorities of migrants, refugees, and biodiversity protection and restoration.
In my experience it seems that sometimes words are limited in trying to convey a deeper expression of care and compassion to another person, especially to one who does not speak the same language as we do. Every time I step into Tara’s room, the woman I met in a Dublin City nursing home, I have this profound realisation that witnessing to the Gospel message truly knows no boundaries, including those of language.
I got to know Tara, a refugee from Ukraine, through my ministry in two nursing care homes which I visit every Friday. Tara has no one around as almost all her family have died during the war in Ukraine. She is 73 years old and she has no English.
When I first went to visit Tara in the nursing home, I had to ask a few people, including the nurses, where her room was as her room was quite hard for me to find! When I arrived at her room I noticed that her door was slightly ajar, there was also a yellow plastic ribbon attached with the words “please do not enter.” As I stood at the entrance, I could see a woman lying on the bed. I greeted her and spoke her name to make sure she was the lady I wanted to see. She uttered the word ‘yes’ but there was no sign of a smile on her face. I smiled at her and asked if I could come in. She seemed to understand and nodded her head, so I entered the room. I told her my name, and mentioned the name of her carer (the person who first made me aware of Tara) and her face lit up. I asked how she was. In response she took out her phone and put the translator on and started speaking into it. Then she showed me the translation. I then understood that she was waiting for the social worker and she thought it was me. I told her I was not but that I had come to see her. She was a bit taken aback and seemed to lose interest in me. I did try making conversation by telling her that I was glad to meet her. She had little to say and told me it was not easy to talk because she had very little English. With little to say and her becoming uneasy, I said good-bye and promised to see her again next Friday and left the room.
I felt my visit was useless as I did not do anything for this woman. I did try to make conversation but the language barrier was an obvious difficulty and a big challenge. Then the realisation dawned on me, that my presence was just as important as any words or actions that I could have said or done. I realised how difficult it was for any refugee to be in a place like a nursing home with no family members to talk with.
Tara is a woman in her early 70’s who is overweight and suffers from swollen legs and feet. As a result, it is very difficult for her to walk, or even to stand up. Now I can understand how important it is for her to meet people as most of her time is spent lying on the bed, alone in her room, all day.
Despite the language barrier, the presence of another person who is trying to connect and show her care is more valuable than any spoken words or conversation. I will continue to visit Tara without being too preoccupied about the difficulties in our verbal communication. It will be a ministry of presence in which I will try to give witness to the compassion of Jesus. By consistently turning up I can show her that I am there for her. Just this week, I had the chance to see Tara again and she looked much better. Without words, I gently gave her hands and legs a massage. In that way I could express how I care for her. “Preach everywhere you go and, if necessary, use words.”