friday

It’s the second friday of the month, which means tomorrow is the only Saturday with no class, which means most of my local friends- 2 hours away from Bangalore, and even those who live 16 hours in another state, have gone home, leaving us desperately homesick Malaysians mournfully pining for home. Haha.

This week during dissection we got to see an old Indian man with inguinal hernia who would undergo surgery the next day. He was lying on the table in the Osteology room while ten by ten students came to peer at his inguinal region, while our lecturer explained and demonstrated how when he coughed, the hernia could be seen protruding. As he laid there in lithotomy position, hands covering his eyes, I couldn’t help but to appreciate him and what I’m learning here, hands on.

This week we removed the small intestines, exposed the kidneys, and to day traced the arteries and veins from it, even found an extra renal vein from the inferior vena cava!

The days are flying by fast- another week is almost gone, Physio PCT on Monday and my 2nd Internals the week after. Can’t wait to go home in July cause I’m missing home like crazy.

For now, its to be strong, learn as much as I can and remember that in every season, You O Lord, are still God, and I have a reason to sing, I have a reason to worship.

follow

Every Monday (almost every week) I have PCTs (Part Completion Tests) which though its good to make you really know the topics covered, is rather a pain cause it means consistent studying, studying and more studying.

After Anatomy PCT today and all the mugging up the last few days on the abdomen, embryology and histology… hitting the books tonight seems too daunting a thought, which brought me here, somewhere I have neglected since coming to India. Haha.

Its been some time since I’ve really wrote anything other than assignments assignments and more assignments, but today I just wanted to write about something simple, something real, and hopefully it will encourage you, whoever you may be who still visit this very neglected site haha.

In church last Sunday as usual the choir performed. Before they started singing they shared that the song they were about to sing was from North-eastern India (which is where most of my church members are from). They told of the song being composed from the jungles in the midst of persecution for their faith. To my surprise they started singing the familiar hymn ‘I have decided to follow Jesus’.

Having no idea that this hymn is actually an Indian folk melody, and watching them sing this simple song, the descendants of those who suffered for the gospel that inspired the songs, and oft late hearing their hopes and dreams of going into ministry after completing their graduation from bible college by the end of this month, did something to me, blessed me.

Often we can be so caught up with our everyday life that we forget God’s call to follow Him. I know I have done and often still fall in the trap of doing so. Often I am overwhelmed by the sheer amount of workload as a medical student, and more so it being even harder in India, frustrations at little petty problems that are as the adjective used, petty.

As I look back at my half a year in India, I see how God has truly ‘made a way when there seemed to be no way.’  One of my early days here when it was really tough this song came on my mp3 and in my depression I dismissed it, for I couldn’t see how it would be possible, looking around with my human eyes.

But now I truly can testify that God has been good. And He has been more than good. He has been faithful, true and my only Source of strength each day. I look back and am amazed how He has answered my prayers, big and small, and opened doors and different circumstances that blow my mind in ways I would never have imagined, because I would never have the creativity to think out an awesome plan like my God can. 

Slowly I’m settling to the life here, disarming some wrong notions I had instilled in me at the beginning of what’s it like here, observing the people, their culture, and way of thinking. And being prouder and loving my own country more and more day by day.

Sure I have 5 more years and I have no idea what is ahead, but I have decided to follow Jesus, and there’s no turning back, no turning back.

I have decided to follow Jesus;
I have decided to follow Jesus;
I have decided to follow Jesus;
No turning back, no turning back.

Tho' none go with me, I still will follow,
Tho' none go with me I still will follow,
Tho' none go with me, I still will follow;
No turning back, no turning back.

My cross I'll carry, till I see Jesus;
My cross I'll carry till I see Jesus,
My cross I'll carry till I see Jesus;
No turning back, No turning back.

The world behind me, the cross before me,
The world behind me, the cross before me;
The world behind me, the cross before me;
No turning back, no turning back.