Mercy

Technorati tags: Malaysia, Mercy, Mercy Malaysia, Dr. Jemilah Mahmood

No, this post is not about the nebulous universal concept, or about the children's game, but about an organization that every Malaysian can, and should, be proud of - the Malaysian Medical Relief Society, better known as Mercy Malaysia.

Walski just found out this morning that on Friday, October 20th, Mercy's founder Datuk Dr. Jemilah Mahmood was conferred the Gandhi-King-Ikeda Award by the Martin Luther King Jr International Chapel of Morehouse College (located in Atlanta, GA).

Receiving the award on her behalf was her husband, and co-founder of Mercy Malaysia, Datuk Dr. Ashar Abdullah.

The award was conferred for Dr. Jemilah's untiring efforts in improving the human condition, achieved through providing medical and humanitarian aid. She is the first Malaysian to receive the award, and to Walski, it couldn't have gone to a more deserving person.
(more on Dr. Jemilah and MERCY in the full post)

Walski feels very privileged that he has had the opportunity to make Dr. Jemilah Mahmood's acquaintence in person. And although the time spent speaking with her has been very brief, her sincerity, inner strength and sheer goodness (for lack of a better word) cannot help but be felt. A true model Muslim, in Walski's opinion, and someone that all Muslim's should be proud of. In fact, someone that all Malaysians, regardless of creed or color, should take pride in.

She has personally been in the thick of conflict, for example, leading Mercy's team of care-givers in the early days of the American invasion of Iraq, during which time Dr. Jemilah was even shot at. Thank God, her injury was not very major. More importantly, the experience, in Walski's opinion, has made her a stronger person.

And being conferred this award recognizing her humanitarian work, as part of Mercy Malaysia, is proof that charity and kindness knows no boundaries of faith, nationality or color of skin - good works are recognized simply for what they are. And knowing Mercy Malaysia, they are perhaps the best ambassador's of goodwill that Malaysia has witnessed in our nation's relatively short history.

Rather than gloating about how Malaysia has the tallest this or the biggest that, we should feel proud that our nation has produced an organization that has been duly recognized for helping those in dire need. It is this kind of "world record" that Walski feels, is more important.

As Malaysians, all of us can do our part in assisting Mercy Malaysia in carrying out their good work. Dr. Jemilah once told Walski that they could always use a helping hand. So, do visit their website to find out how you can help.

The news of Dr. Jemilah being conferred the Gandhi-King-Ikeda Award has once again reminded Walski that despite the isolated bleakness we sometimes choose to see about certain aspects of life in Malaysia, it's not all bad all the time. It helps make today a little easier to deal with, knowing that there is still some true good left in the world. And it gives us all hope for a better tomorrow.

May God bless Dr. Jemilah, her husband and family, as well as Mercy Malaysia, for being the agents of goodwill, self-less charity, and unrelenting mercy.