What
I Learned from Multivitamins
by
Ella Del Rosario, Ang Lingkod ng Panginoon (ALNP) missionary
“I will be much nicer to Mercury
Drug pharmacists starting today!”
Such was my realization yesterday, when I was assigned at the pharmacy of
Ang Lingkod ng Panginoon (Servants of the Lord) QC’s first Medical-Surgical
Mission at the He Cares Village in Montalban.
The literal shedding of blood, sweat and tears by the Works of Mercy- Med
Mission Team was blessed abundantly by the Lord. We had overflowing food for
the volunteers and medicines for the patients. Doctors and nurses
volunteered to help us; so did brothers and sisters from Lingkod Alabang,
Makati and Greenhills.
I know that my work yesterday was benign compared to the actual operations
at the Surgery room and the heavy influx of people at the Consultation room.
All of the volunteers would have probably reached for
“ibuprofen-paracetamol” tablets due to their body aches
and pains at the end of the day, but instead we turned to the Lord in
prayer, to thank Him for everything.
It was inspiring to serve while other volunteers composed a theme song of
each quasi-pharmacist: (fr. Sound of Music's I am Sixteen"), "Carbocisteine,
going on 17..."; (Healing), "Cause Your love is Amoxicillin", (the "Name
Game"), "Let's do Salbutamol!", and for me (to the tune of "Bawal na Gamot"),
"Merienda ko'y di makain, dahil sa multivitamins". It was a joy to serve
with my smiling, though tired, teammates composed of Loli (team head), Ethel
(expat from Greenhills, med mission specialist), Jack and Julius from other
branches, and Sphene, our chemistry expert who translated for us the symbols
on the prescriptions. I heard that over at the other rooms, those assisting
the medical professionals also entertained themselves while singing. There
was a general spirit of joy despite the challenges of doing everything for
the first time.
A brother told me that the tiredness we felt was comparable to that we
experienced during the 2004 Unity Games and the 2005 Easter Celebration,
which our branch hosted for Lingkod in the region, however, the depth of
fulfillment after a medical-surgical mission was more memorable, as our
energies were used up to help others who needed them most.
As I was dispensing the multivitamins, I wondered how long a 60ml bottle
would last, at one teaspoon a day for the children. The answer hung in the
air, as I was helpless to do something about it at that exact moment. I just
prayed for each person whom we met yesterday, as I’m sure was done by the
other volunteers, for their health to be protected throughout the year, and
for us to be given more opportunities to serve them, in ways that would be
most beneficial in the long run.
Another personal learning for me was this: the next time that I would stand
in front of a Mercury Drug counter, I would be more considerate of the
mental, physical and emotional toll on their pharmacists, and would
patiently wait my turn to be served my medicines. We all do our best to make
this planet a better place to live in. We do need to be in other people’s
shoes sometimes in order to see the world from their perspective, and thus
relate to them in the most loving manner.
“Anong meron ang taong happy? (What does a happy person have?) goes another
ad for a popular multivitamin. “More energy, mas happy”, goes its reply. I
wish to add something, that people who use their energy for good works are
happier, even if physical energy gets used up temporarily, for that could
easily be replenished after due care.
Let us continue to pray for the families at the He Cares village. May they
continue to live under Jesus’ care, everyday, and to be blessed by His
energy, and to experience happiness through it.
ches
and pains at the end of the day, but instead we turned to the Lord in
prayer, to thank Him for everything. 
