On June 8th we learned that Dr. Sunil Chatterjee passed away due to COVID-19 on May 7, 2021. Dr. Chatterjee served in Cambodia from 1985 to 1986 at the Prey Veng Provincial Hospital and Neak Leung Hospital. Please pray for India because of the incredible loss and suffering caused by COVID-19 there.

In the 1980s, India was one of the only countries in the world that did not participate in international sanctions against Cambodia (the Kampuchea) and chose to support it as it recovered from genocide.

After the Khmer Rouge regime, it was estimated that only 25 doctors remained in Cambodia. 25 doctors for a population of 6.77 million. During this time MCC partnered with Dhamtari Christian Hospital in India to bring in Indian doctors to treat Cambodians and train local medical staff. Dr. Sunil and Dr. Veena Chatterjee came for 15 months and were the longest serving Dhamtari Christian Hospital medical team in Cambodia.

The Chatterjees were also a host family for SALT participants in India. I’m including a reflection written by SALT program alumni Jennifer Swartzentruber Shue who lived with them for 11 months.

[The Chatterjees] made my year so rich by giving me experiences in the community, church, hospital, and with their extended family and friends. I celebrated holidays with those of different backgrounds and learned about the culture, beauty, and diversity of India. I was stretched in my faith and grew through the many conversations with Sunil and Veena. Their friendship and love was a gift and I loved being a part of their family… We are meant to live in community with others and show hospitality. We have so much more in common than we have different if we take the time to explore that with each other. And God blesses us with relationships across countries and cultures to show us more of Himself.

Jennifer Swartzentruber Shue