Sebastian Ju
365 TESTIMONIES OF HOSPITALITY |
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Brother |
China |
Sebastian Ju |
In 2000 I was employed by the Brothers of Saint John of God to work in their Saint Benedict Menni Center in Gwangju, South Korea, for people suffering from Alzheimer’s. This enabled me to see the life of the Brothers in which they try to imitate the attitudes and ways of Saint John of God and treat everyone they meet like a brother or sister. As a result I decided to commit my life to serving my neighbors in need as a Brother. After I made solemn profession I was sent to China. I arrived in China a bit afraid of taking on the challenge that lay ahead of me. However, I commended everything to God and thus became a bit more courageous about the future. The work in China was similar to the type of work that I was involved with in South Korea with people with Alzheimer’s. It is not easy work but it does teach one the true meaning of hospitality. The patients often cannot remember their younger days and often behave like naïve and innocent children. Exercising basic Hospitality by bathing and massaging the elderly people in our care makes me feel happy and helps me forget my fatigue. Now I feel that the place in which I work and live is the right place for me. I am very grateful to the elderly patients who allow me each day to express the Order’s values of hospitality, quality, respect, responsibility and spirituality – values appreciated everywhere.