Blessings of meditation

Columban Sr Mary Dillon shares with us the capacity of the children living with HIV/AIDS at the Home of Hope in Myanmar to meditate.

Some months ago Fr Laurence Freeman OSB wrote an article in The Tablet, a British Catholic weekly, in which he described his first visit to Myanmar. He was, he said, very impressed by the ‘contemplative culture’ he found there. As the director of the World Community for Christian Meditation he led some meditation sessions and was struck by the still, silent and recollected attitude of the participants.

The pervasive influence of Buddhism was evident, no surprise in a country that is said to be 90% Buddhist. What was particularly striking for the priest was "the capacity of the Burmese children to meditate."

I too have been struck by the ease with which children, who journey through the 'Home of Hope', here in Myitkyina, meditate. All the more striking because the children I am helping are little ones that have HIV or AIDS or are the offspring of parents with the disease. The 'Home of Hope' has been built with the kind donations from our readers and benefactors to help look after children and people as a last resort.

With good food and retro-viral medication, many of the sick are helped back to health. While they still may have the disease, their quality of life is improved. For others, it is too late and no week goes by without at least one or two deaths. Many die with nothing at all and we see to their burial and help the families, very often young orphaned children.

For the past few years we have run a summer camp in the Youth Centre in Myitkyina. Columban Sr Ashwena Apao, from the Philippines, is involved in youth work and with the help of these young people and some excellent teachers we are able to look after about 100 children for about 10 days each year.

Blessings of meditationA variety of programmes are in place for the different age groups, whose ages range from five to 17 years. They are designed to help children who get so little love and help in the society in which they live.

The young teachers we employ are adept at teaching them life-changing skills. Many of the participants have never spoken of, or do not know how to express what it is like to have HIV or AIDS. Each child is helped through their emotional development, to express themselves through voice, and to deal with any fears or sense of loss and loneliness which blight their young lives.

We provide education on drugs (to prevent the harm that substance abuse can cause young people), how to cope with stress, how to make decisions, and how and where to find information or help. We have seen friendships blossom and develop amongst the children, and some have returned to see each other again.

At the summer camp, every morning, a session of meditation begins with 10-15 minutes (depending on the age group) of silent meditation. How still the children sit! How committed they are to this precious time, which they enjoy and love.

No wonder Fr Freeman was impressed with the children; we too cannot but be moved by the natural contemplative spirit of ‘our’ children who are poor, sick and lonely and yet who give themselves to meditation; as they sit in the candlelight the little ones are united in peace.

After meditation the children may be as noisy and energetic as any child. They learn how to draw on the strength of their silence and experience the blessing it is.

Towards the end of the camp program, we have a ceremony to remember their dead; they light candles and put them around the floor, sitting and remembering and offering a prayer, a word for their parent or friend. There are tears, but there is also healing as they unite in this ceremony. No child in that group is unacquainted with pain or loss.

It is a great privilege to be with them and in some small way to help them on their very tough journey. We marvel at their resilience, at their courage and determination to move on.

Seeing them dart about the compound, laughing and shouting as they play various games, helping one another, I cannot but thank God who holds them dear in their harsh reality. In time we hope to extend the programme and help many more children to regain their childhood.

And, of course, our hope is that one day HIV and AIDS will be a thing of the past for the children of Myanmar. Meanwhile, we go on, with your help and your prayer. Thank you.

Columban Sr Mary Dillon founded the 'Home of Hope' for AIDS and HIV patients in Myitkyina, Myanmar (formerly Burma).

Read more from The Far East, May 2014