Don’t be Afraid

Moe Ngye was a Burmese migrant worker in Ranong. She was 23 years old. She was very friendly, very sincere, and respectful. She was very generous of her time.

She had a lived-in partner. She was constantly beaten up by her partner that caused her ear infected and damaged. They broke up and she found out that she got HIV.

Her own family had rejected he when they knew that she was HIV positive. The owner of the house she rested also kicked her out. She felt rejected and alone.

She found a place to rent in a slum and depressing area. The house was collapsing. The room was very small, very hot, smelly – an unpleasant place to live in. They had just few dried fish and not much water to drink. Moe She was very weak but she was trying to work by peeling prawns to receive 30 to 50 baht a day (about 2 dollars).

The disease had taking over her whole body. She became very weak and in great pain. On that day that she was dying, she was afraid to close her eyes. She was afraid that she might not open her eyes again. She was afraid of death.

She was consoled by the care and support of our team. When she was dying, she looked at us, gave her smile, closed her eyes and breathed her last breath.

It was like a broken glass that cuts my hands and feet. I do not have any medical background so I did not know what I was supposed to do to ease her pain and suffering. But by just being there – by touching her, combing her hair, listening to her, made her comfortable – would show that I care.

Moe Ngye was one of the thousands of refugees and migrants who suffer the pain of stigma and discrimination. Many of them have no access to free medication. They cannot afford to buy drugs or they are too weak to work. They receive a very low and unjust wage.Many of them are rejected even by their own families and friends. They have been abused and suffered injustices. Many of them are victims of human trafficking and slavery. They live a life of poverty and oppression. Many of them became stateless. Their life is on a risk.

Moe Ngye and other patients are teaching me a lot of things. Above all they are teaching me how to love, how to be compassionate. My journey with them deepens my faith and my vocation. It is through them that I am challenged to unleash the love, the unselfish gift of myself.