Sustaining Self-Help Groups for Quality of Life and Community Development

Provide Help and Create Hope For the past 12 years I have been working with the nursing homes in USA in the capacity of a priest and a social worker. I am providing care in 24 nursing homes, assisted living facilities and hospices in 4 districts (counties) in the State of Texas as well as visiting hospitals and area prisons. I consider it more than a job but rather a life-giving commitment for life enrichment and to make the people happier with a professional and spiritual outlook. It is a holistic approach for the well-being of every resident to improve the quality of life. We cannot divide body and soul and treat separately. Physical, psychological, social and spiritual wellbeing are intimately connected, go hand in hand and support each other for self fulfilment and self-realization. In these nursing homes I meet people from all over the world. For example, the majority are from USA, then from Mexico, Cuba, Honduras, Germany, England, Japan, Bangladesh, China, India, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Italy and Vietnam. People from these countries practice different religions. They are from different colour, ethnicity and race. I hear the residents speaking in different languages although they do not fully understand, yet are able to communicate their immediate needs. They live under one roof as members of the same family and eat the same food in the same dining room cooked by the same staff in the same kitchen. When I conduct prayer services or gatherings, those who are interested will come no matter which faith or religion they follow. As someone said to me “although I belong to a different religion I would love to come and join here for prayer.” I have never felt any discrimination based on religion, language, nationality or racism in these facilities. In these nursing homes there is no division or hate based on religion, colour or race but only bridges which promote solidarity, love, harmony and universal brotherhood. If these people can live under one roof, eat the same food and pray together then what excuses do we have? No religion teaches division, hate or retaliation but promotes only Love and compassion. My wish is to see the promotion of religion of Humanity by everyone and the practice of God’s Love everywhere.