Columban Fr Robert McCulloch recently received the following good news from Eric Siraj, Department Head of the Mobile Medical Outreach Programme (MMOP) in Pakistan.
It was normal routine for the Mobile Medical Outreach Programme team to visit Jhirruk (30kms south of Hyderabad) where the housing and community development project is taking place to help the local homeless thanks to the generosity of Columban benefactors.
Upon arriving, they saw a 16-year-old young girl, Nirvili in a very serious health condition. The family informed them that she had drunk a chemical medicine for plants by mistake.
Dr Ved from MMOP advised to admit her to hospital, after consulting Dr. Sajid at St Elizabeth Hospital, Hyderabad about her condition.
Nirvili was quickly admitted to hospital in a very serious condition and gradually improved enough to begin eating a soft diet. She is thankfully back home in good spirits after completing treatment.
Her family are very grateful and thankful for the work of Columban Missionaries, St Elizabeth Hospital and the Mobile Medical Outreach Programme (MMOP).
Fr Robert McCulloch said this was ‘indeed a good news story’ and an inspiring story about people of different faiths living and working professionally together and in friendship, with great care and compassion for helping others and those in need.
Dr Sajid is Muslim, Dr Ved is Hindu, Eric Siraj and the nurses on the MMOP team are Catholic, the patient is a Parkari Koli Hindu girl, and St Elizabeth Hospital is run by the Catholic diocese of Hyderabad.
Fr Robert McCulloch SSC has been a missionary in Pakistan since 1978. He now resides in Rome after taking up an appointment in late 2011 as the Procurator General for St Columbans Mission Society. Fr McCulloch returns to Pakistan several times each year.
