The Role of the Sisters of the Holy Cross - Part 3
III. Role of the Sisters in Cambodian Refugee Camps
The sisters observed, as referenced in J2-3_3_1, that their assignment in Cambodia was not strictly structured as many that occurred in the United States were. It was one that would undergo constant change and for that reason, the sisters felt as if they were “clay” in the hands of a potter while working. The sisters had to become comfortable with the flexibility and teamwork required to work with foreign doctors; they used their knowledge to lessen the workloads of other foreign medical officials in the camp by assisting and providing medical supplies, and they worked to set up a medical records system. Four of the sisters were sent to an intensive feeding unit where infants and small children were fed on a predetermined schedule since many of the families they served were starving and did not have the means to take care of them independently. The diverse skills possessed by the sisters enabled them to be sent to rehabilitation facilities in other camps to assist more refugees and even to assist in meal preparation in the kitchens to help feed the inhabitants of the camps. Previous work in the ministry gave them the willingness to go where they were needed. They assisted in all they were asked to do without a second thought. When asked to set up a medical records system, Sister Helen said, “When one volunteers in this type of ministry, she doesn't ask before agreeing to do it…” (J2-3_3_1). The Sisters' willingness to help, at times, brought them face-to-face with the extreme illness and suffering of those who inhabited the camp. Sister Helen expressed this sentiment as she said, “... Little did I realize that it meant counting the dead” (J2-3_3_1). This work gave them a window into the life and struggles a refugee. It also afforded them the opportunity to form close relationships with the refugees they assisted. Evidence of these relationships survives in the years of correspondence they received from those whom they helped.