Dr. Norman Bethune treating the world's greatest illness: SELF INTEREST

Back in college, being a member of the League of Filipino Students (LFS) in Silliman University, I was encouraged to join in discussions referred to as Araling Aktibista. The purpose of which was to help me understand and mold myself into a better person, one that would pursue an outlook of putting the interest of other people first, before mine.

I would say that in the country, the true philanthropists are those we spitefully tag as Leftists. Just because we see them often in the streets causing traffic jams from their shouting, or because we hear from authorities that they are propagating “Communist idealism,” we immediately see them as the Devil’s army, as trouble makers, as people who have nothing positive to say about the country or the people running our country. Never did we ever consider, that while those who are staunch critics of activists are getting richer and enjoying the pleasures of the privileged, these so-called Leftists remain to suffer with the poor, putting aside their own interests just so they would be able to do what they have dedicated themselves to, serving the people.

Such selfless devotion is best seen in the life of Dr. Norman Bethune. The impact that his life has on the lives of the Chinese people is so great that Chairman Mao Tse-tung wrote a discourse in his memory on December 21, 1939 entitled “In Memory of Norman Bethune.” This piece of discourse is being taught to activists and, as I was recently told, was used to be taught to all school children in China.

Who is Dr. Bethune?

So what makes Dr. Bethune so special?

Dr. Bethune was a known surgeon in Canada and a member of the Communist Party of Canada. Countless of times, he proved his dedication to serve the people of the world. In March or April of 1938, he was sent to China by the Communist Parties of Canada and the United States to help the Chinese people in their war against the Japanese.

In China, he acted as the medical advisor in the Shansi-Chachar-Hopei Military Area. During this time, he served with the Eight Route Army and worked fastidiously among the wounded and the sick. Eventually, he contracted blood poisoning while operating on wounded soldiers. On November 12, 1939, he died in Tanghsein, Hopei Province.

A selfless person.

In his discourse, Chairman Mao expressed his admiration of Dr. Bethune’s internationalist outlook. Despite of his being a foreigner, he selflessly adopted “the cause of the Chinese people’s liberation as his own.” Chairman Mao pointed out that this internationalist outlook should oppose narrow nationalism and narrow patriotism, as the struggle for freedom is a struggle that every people around the world must work together to achieve.

Chairman Mao pointed out: “We must all learn the spirit of absolute selflessness from him. With his spirit, everyone can be very useful to the people. A man’s ability may be great or small, but if he has this spirit, he is already nobleminded and pure, a man who is of value to the people.”

In memoriam.

Last month, Canada’s Ambassador to the Philippines, His Excellency Robert Desjardins, and the Consul General of the People’s Republic of China, Hon. He Shijing, honored this great man by exchanging documentary films of Dr. Bethune, the most prominent of which is a documentary entitled “The Life of Dr. Norman Bethune.”

In an interview with The FREEMAN, Consul General Shijing said that Dr. Bethune’s work in China paved the way for the strong diplomatic ties between the two countries: Canada and China.

Ambassador Desjardins added that although Bethune is not as well known in Canada as he is in China, Canadians are reaping the benefits of Bethune’s kindness which includes the respect that the Chinese people has on Canadians.

But Dr. Bethune’s kindness is universal, and unless we see the good of other people, unless we see the world’s need of our help, we would not see a better tomorrow.