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MemChurch Daily

April 29, 2021

PRACTICING HOPE
The daily newsletter of the Memorial Church

Dear friends,

Today we are delighted to share with you a reflection by Jude Tochukwu Okonkwo '21 of Currier House in our Virtual Senior Talks series of 2021. Senior Talks are a beloved annual tradition in which each House at the College is invited to nominate a senior to offer a Morning Prayers address. We are honored to continue this tradition virtually this year by way of uplifting their reflections in our Daily Devotional. Thank you Jude, today we celebrate you and all your fellow Currier House seniors!

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The Memorial Church of Harvard University

SENIOR TALKS
Currier House's Jude Tochukwu Okonkwo '21

By Jude Tochukwu Okonkwo '21
Currier House


At the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, a good friend of mine recommended I watch "The Heart of Nuba'', a short documentary film on Netflix. I was skeptical to watch the film at first that followed an American physician caring for the marginalized Nuba people, a population targeted for military action by their government. However, as the monotony of Zoom classes and the routines of indoor life weighed on me, I decided one afternoon to watch the film and what I saw blew me away.
 
At the apex of the film for me, the physician enters a town of lepers in a scene that could have been out of the Gospel of John. Due to the prevention of the delivery of crucial modern medical supplies and vaccines to the people of Nuba, the country's leaders had created a crisis of leprosy and a need for those who contracted it to isolate themselves to avoid contaminating the entire Nuba people. In a move mirroring that of the biblical Christ, Dr. Catena, unable to offer these villagers medication, offers them love and hope, expressed through his weekly visits and embraces of the adults, his engagement with them in meaningful conversation and his insistence to interact and play with the children as if they were not suffering from a lethal, infectious illness. This dignity-affirming behavior I believe is closely tied to the concept of purpose in this life, a question that might has been highlighted and punctuated by the pandemic.
 
As we all know, the Covid-19 pandemic has robbed us of many things. Some people have lost loved one, homes and businesses. For other luckier individuals, they have lost only memories, experiences, and meaningful opportunities. Additionally, as students, we were challenged by the loss of social interactions and the fluidity of the traditional dynamics that shape the college experience. However, everything was not a loss. Given our increased online presences, young people became more highly attuned to the political and social illness that plagued our society, and in many cases led their fellow countrymen into the streets like after the murder of George Floyd, demanding an end to these social inequities. Even in these stressful and unfortunate circumstances, we had opportunities and seized opportunities to be present for other people and to advocate for those less fortunate than ourselves.
 
For me and I hope for you, the pandemic has not jaded but has rather rejuvenated your sense of purpose. From music to medicine to writing to coding, I have watched from my Instagram stories how my fellow students have begun new non-profits, lobbied for changes, reignited personal projects or simply have taken the time to be more present for their families. While it may be difficult to feel that way right now, these steps we have taken to mitigate the effects of the pandemic on us and those around us will be those we will continue to take throughout our lives to extend the gift of our college diplomas to others, to give of ourselves to make the lives of others better. I think therein lies how every human being can find a purpose in their lives, one that like Dr. Catena experienced can bring great joy and personal satisfaction, even in the face of insurmountable odds and utter danger.

Jude Tochukwu Okonkwo is from Long Island, N.Y. He attended Chaminade High School and studied Integrative Biology with a secondary in English Literature at Harvard College. He is passionate about working at the intersection of the arts, medicine and community service and will be attending Columbia Medical School in the fall.  

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The Memorial Church of Harvard University
Educating Minds | Expanding Hearts | Enriching Lives
web: memorialchurch.harvard.edu
email: memorialchurch@harvard.edu
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