I admire some people here in Malaysia and one of them is none other than Dr. Jemilah Mahmood, the President of the Malaysian Medical Relief Society or MERCY. With a pool of more than 5,000 volunteers, Mercy Malaysia is actively involved in numerous projects in countries like Myanmar, Sudan, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Sri Lanka
In 2006, Datuk Dr. Jemilah Mahmood was conferred the highest honour by the Martin Luther King Jr. International Chapel at Morehouse College, USA, and received the Gandhi, King, Ikeda Award. This award was created to celebrate human rights and non-violence.
According to Wikipedia...
Through MERCY, she has brought together Malaysians (and some non-Malaysians) from all walks of life with the common goal to serve those in need, irrespective of race, religion, culture or boundary.
In 2003, she was shot in her left hip during a MERCY mission to offer medical relief and supplies to Baghdad hospitals. After dropping off supplies at two hospitals, MERCY’s two vehicles were shot at by some Iraqis who mistakenly thought the ambulances were Syrian after experiencing rocket fire in the villages from alleged Syrian fedayin. The Syrian driver and an Iraqi hospital staff accompanying them were killed in the incident. She said the doctors at Chiwader hospital had wanted to remove the bullet but she did not want to take up their time and medication. She was still walking around with a bullet in her left hip, five days after being shot.
Last week, she resigned from MERCY because she was appointed United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Humanitarian Response Branch chief in New York.
As a Christian, I am challenged by her untiring service for humanity. I believe Jesus wants us to empowered our Faith by serving others, regardless of race or religion. No one cares how much we know until they see how much we care. Not just to convert people but help with a genuine concern for those who are helpless.
Indeed, Dr. Jemilah Mahmood is a towering Malaysian that this country is so proud of. Well done!
2 comments:
Hi, thank you for your article on Dr. Jemilah. I have been a full time staff of MERCY Malaysia since 2005, (one of the reasons why I can't continue my classes with BCM as I travel so much from one humanitarian crisis to another) and I have been with Dr. Jemilah on a few missions. Once, she checked on me if I attend church on mission since then I have always been attending local church whenever possible. I must say the vision that Dr. Jemilah has for humanitarian work is to admire for. 70% of natural disaster happened in Asia and yet the voice of Asian is hardly being heard and I am sure Dr. Jemilah will work hard to see that the trend will change in the future. Women and children have always been under served in humanitarian crisis and it has always been her burden in her heart. That is the main reason for her to join UNFPA. Her effort in promoting 'Humanitarian Accountability' also prompted me to share NGO Code of Conduct which I presented to various church groups in Myanmar using Bible verse to hi light each of the 10 principles. I wish her all the best!
Thank you Edward for being a passionate believer in Christ! I am encouraged. May the Lord bless you richly in your missions!
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