This hospital in Sri
Lanka was in danger of closing down as a result of financial problems.
The doctor and his staff
had had no support from the government nor they received enough funds
from private sectors, so the future of the hospital was very much in the
air. The doctor had used up all his private savings and was considering
selling off his private property to save the hospital.
The charity hospital
was built not only to treat the poor. They were very active in educating
the people so that they could change their life style and habits, which
were causing them to become more prone to illness. They also promoted
alternative medicines and treatment methods. They had their own organic
farming plot, so that they could grow own vegetables for the patients
staying in the hospital. In
addition, they ran support programs for the families of patients to
improve their lifestyles to help improve their conditions and prevent
further illness. The doctor's approach and what he was trying to do
struck Yamada sensei's heart, and the Sensei went to Sri Lanka to help
them. His efforts had won a number of peoples support, and he set a
light for future of the hospital.
Over several months
prior to visiting the country, Yamada Sensei put an enormous effort in
searching for what could be
done to help the people in Sri Lanka. His research ranged from politics,
relational, social, medical and agricultural studies. He met prominent
people from these areas in both Sri Lanka and Japan and also spent a
considerable amount of time studying in the library and at his home. He
also spent a week attending a seminar to learn about a new approach to
growing vegetables using no chemical substances and actually worked in a
farm cultivating the soil and plants himself!
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