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Syria: Serving God and people among war and hardship
In Damascus, she is known as the sister who runs the “French Hospital.” For the past four years, Sr. Judita has been serving in Syria, where she and her community manage a Catholic hospital. She speaks about the fears of Christians, the exodus of young people, and the hope they strive to bring to patients every day.
By Sr. Jana Pavla Halčinová, DC
For 33 years, Sr. Judita Cáková has been a member of the Company of the Daughters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul. A trained nurse, she has served in many parts of the world, including refugee camps and conflict zones before arriving in Damascus.
She recalls one encounter that has remained with her. When people asked, “Who is the woman helping us?” an interpreter simply replied, “She is a woman who loves God and people.” Those words have stayed with her ever since.
Her decision to volunteer in humanitarian missions was inspired by an article that deeply moved her. “I was touched by the extreme poverty of people who had fled war and violence with nothing and were in need of even the most basic assistance,” she says.
Today, her mission has taken on a different form. “My responsibility is to manage the hospital in a way that keeps it financially sustainable while remaining faithful to our charism of serving the poor.”
The hospital, widely known in Damascus as the French Hospital, belongs to the Daughters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul. While the sisters oversee its administration, most of its employees are lay professionals from different religious backgrounds.
Sister Judita assisting during a neurosurgical operation
A challenging beginning
When Sr. Judita first arrived in Syria, she did not speak Arabic and had to adapt to an entirely different healthcare system. “I knew some French and English,” she recalls with a smile, “but all the languages became mixed up in my head.”
Gradually, she found ways to communicate and settled into her work in the operating theatre. “I especially enjoyed assisting with Caesarean sections because the procedure was exactly the same.”
Two doctors who had studied in Russia became invaluable mentors. “It was a great help because I could ask questions and they patiently explained everything to me.”
Today, the hospital operates under demanding circumstances. It has 108 beds, around 250 employees, and works with approximately 130 doctors. “My responsibility is to ensure that staff receive their salaries regularly and that they have good working conditions.”
Maintaining financial stability is a constant challenge while remaining faithful to the hospital’s mission. “We cannot serve only the poor because we have no organisation that can finance all of their care. For that reason, we also welcome patients who can afford treatment, allowing us to provide care for those who cannot.”
The hospital cooperates closely with Caritas and several charitable organisations in Syria supported by international donors. In previous years, it also received significant assistance through the Vatican’s Open Hospital initiative, led by Apostolic Nuncio, Cardinal Mario Zenari. “Thanks to this support, many people were able to receive life-saving operations, even in emergency situations.”
The hospital’s staff team
Growing uncertainty
According to Sr. Judita, Syrian society has changed dramatically since the outbreak of war in 2011. “Many people work two jobs simply to survive. There has also been a large exodus of educated people—especially Christians and members of minority communities—to Europe, America, and Australia.”
Those who remain, she says, are often people who have no possibility of leaving. Regional tensions have added yet another layer of uncertainty: explosions and rocket attacks have become part of daily life.
One attack remains particularly vivid in her memory. Following a bombing at an Orthodox church that claimed several lives, most of the injured were brought to the French Hospital. “We treated about eighty percent of them.” Many of the victims were young people. “When we asked them after surgery how we could help them, almost all of them gave the same answer: they wanted to leave the country.”
A visit to the youngest patients in the neonatal ward. Source: Sister’s archive
A Place of Peace and Welcome
Despite the violence surrounding it, the hospital strives to remain a place of hope. “Our structure has a Christian atmosphere—one of respect, cooperation, and a genuine desire to serve others.” Staff members are encouraged to see Christ in every person and to treat each patient with dignity and compassion. “It is one of the reasons people feel safe here.”
In a country where most healthcare facilities are state-run, the French Hospital has become a symbol of trust for many families. The structure also continues to grow. Recently, it opened a new cardiology department offering cardiac catheterisation and open-heart surgery. “It is important that everyone, including Christians, has access to high-quality medical care.”
Its mission often extends beyond healthcare. During periods of crisis, the hospital provided accommodation for healthcare workers who had suddenly lost both their homes and their jobs. It also organised transportation for employees because travelling through Damascus after dark had become increasingly dangerous. “There is no electricity. The city is dark, and people are afraid.”
Hope that endures
Sr. Judita acknowledges that the hospital depends greatly on international support. “Every form of assistance is welcome—whether financial or material. We urgently need a new ambulance, and we also need help covering the cost of operations for poor patients.”
Yet amid war, hardship, and uncertainty, it is the lives transformed that continue to sustain her hope. She recalls one baby girl who was born prematurely at only six months of pregnancy.
“She was born on the feast of Saint Michael, so we suggested the name Miša.” Today, that little girl is a healthy two-year-old. “Moments like these bring us immense joy,” Sr. Judita says. “They remind us why we continue.”
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