Words said through the windscreen and other closed windows in the car won’t be heard by people some metres away. This is what I try to tell Anne, a special girl in our orphanage in Thailand. However, Anne does not bother about it and keeps shouting her ‘good byes’ and ‘I’ll miss you’, and she is convinced that her words are being heard.
While driving her to the school for children with special needs, I kept thinking about her manner. It threw me back to something that I do which may even be a bit similar. Sometimes I simply bless people silently so that they don’t even know, or notice. If I see a sad person in hospital, I simply bless her: “Dear God, be with her, comfort her”. While seeing a patient in pain I simply try to bless him with silent words, spoken from my heart: “Dear God, make the pain bearable for him and comfort him”. While passing by an accident on the road, I bless those involved and those around.
Actually, I’m not such a holy man and professional pray-er as you may now think. When I recently had to do first aid on the road, my first reaction was to perform nursing duties: I checked the patient’s consciousness, respiration, put the patient in the right position … and then I realized, after things were settled, that I hadn’t yet prayed, and I did not even think of praying in that moment.
All at the proper time I want to say, but one thing is for sure: I trust that prayer changes things! A good friend recently gave me these words as a reminder. And yeah, right, we should not forget the power of prayer in our life and the life of others.
In Anne’s actions I can see how much joy she finds in her kindness. They are unheard words, maybe, but they are making a difference. I can say that my short prayers and blessings also make a difference. I still can somehow ‘do’ something, where nothing can be done … or let God do, where I can’t. While doing so, a person may simply respond with a closer eye contact, a feeling of being noticed, a little smile … maybe. I keep doing it, because I trust that: Prayer changes things! Try it out.
PHOTO: The hospital waiting room in Nong Bua Lamphu, Thailand, where Br Bernd Ruffing SVD ministers.