JW LEE CGM Internship review

 

We cannot change the world, 

but we can change the world of a person

 

 Gyuseong Jeong, Intern

 Chonbuk National University, College of Medicine

 

I have never forgotten the time when I first met the people in absolute poverty in India. Although it was nearly twelve years ago, I can still vividly remember the awfully dirty slum and the people standing in line to get medical service. I was challenged by all I had seen there and also inspired by the doctor who helped those in need and poverty one by one, pouring out everything he has with all his heart. After that, I concluded that this was the kind of life I wanted to live. Since then I started to think globally and act locally.  

 

After that, I had several experiences that made my vision clearer. The most memorable experience was that I met people who were deaf and dumb and had a relationship with them in my undergraduate years. People usually think that Korean deaf is the same as any other Korean except for their hearing impairment. But through a close relationship with them, I became aware that deaf people have their own culture and language completely different from those with hearing ability, despite their shared nationality. I learned to communicate with people culturally different from me and respect their ways of living and thinking. 

 

Although I would find it difficult if asked to define the life of the deaf and dumb in a sentence, most of those I met were poor, sick, and isolated. I organized a community service program to involve as many volunteers and benefactors as possible with this community to make a difference in their lives. The program had provided the customized education for the children of the deaf and dumb, sign language translation services, and health care services to those who lived alone. I did my best and felt good about myself for doing something good. But nothing seemed to change despite all my effort. My work was like a drop of water in an ocean. I realized that someone’s life and society are not easily changed, and I had the feeling of helplessness. “How long could I keep going like this?” I asked myself.  

 

I wanted to give up at times. But whenever I had this question, a vision of a man who turned away from the moment of suicide because he remembered me who visited him every week without fail, a vision of a woman who tries to give anything she has even as small as candy to express her gratitude for providing her children with much-needed academical help, a vision of smiles that spread on the faces of deaf and dumb community when I translate for them, entered my mind and strengthened me to go on. These moments of doubt helped me think deeper and helped me reach out and cooperate with others for better and more effective ways to help those in need. I realized the meaning of "togetherness" in "aloneness". 

 

The second major event in my life which affected me greatly was overseas medical service volunteering. I've had many opportunities to go abroad and participate indirectly in medical services. But every time I felt the limitations on these short-term services. These activities were planned and carried out out of good intention and sufficient funding but they were often one-directional. Things were provided to them without much thinking and understanding of how it would affect them in the long run. I saw that these activities served more purpose for the volunteers themselves rather than the people getting the support. Resources were wasted due to unnecessary conflict and competition between the organizations that were there. I was very disappointed with them and was curious whether there was an organization that was better than what I had seen. 

 

In my 2nd year of studies, I suddenly wanted to experience a bigger world where I could get an answer to my questions. I took a leave from my studies and got on board the "Mercy Ship" which was served in Guinea in West Africa. Mercy Ship is an organization with the world's largest hospital ship which has been providing medical help in developing countries including those in Africa since 1978. It not only meets the practical needs of those in medical conditions but also cooperates with the government bodies and other NGOs to establish one country's medical capabilities. There were people from over 40 countries when I joined them. To me, it was like a world on a ship. There were diverse thoughts, life patterns, traditions, cultures, and values. I thought to myself, 'I'd been too narrow-minded in this vast world.  

 

On the ship, I served in the kitchen for half of a week. For the other half, I spent time being involved in medical care programs that were going on in local hospitals, prisons, a school for the deaf, etc. Those on Mercy Ship moved as a single unit. They performed numerous surgeries on those who needed them and also they got the locals involved in improving the medical environment of the country to ensure sustained changes. Such efforts are bringing positive changes in the West Africa region. Even now, Mercy Ship serves its role in that region, While I was on the ship, Dr. Gary, the medical chief of Mercy Ship, who's been serving for 30 years, once said to me "Although we cannot change the whole world, we can change the whole world for an individual." I was deeply inspired and challenged by the soul that cherish single persons' life and worth. It was then when I interest in international health. Looking at how Mercy Ship gets involved in so many different ways, I realized that medical studies can be widely applied in the world. A health care provider's role which is to save lives is very important. However, I felt the need to connect them with experts in different fields. If I could, I wanted to be the one to do it.  

 

In the extension of this thought, I came to CGM. Based on what I've experienced, CGM is an organization that helps bring about a synergy effect by connecting Seoul National University and other organizations and concentrating international health care capabilities in one place. It's not an easy task but it's worth it. CGM's role is the role that I want to take on later. So it was very interesting to see how diverse programs were operated in CGM. Besides, I was able to learn a lot of practical things such as how to write field reports and business plans. 

 

When I'm with great mentors from CGM, I often imagine what I would look like or what kind of person I will be in 10, 20 years. I want to be a neighbor with profound understanding and thoughts toward the poor, the sick, and the isolated, medical personnel who considers 'the worth of a person' most valuable, an international activist who works to create harmony between experts from diverse fields and organizations. 

 

I look forward to witnessing myself grow to be this kind of person.