Muffin Stories - Albert Schweitzer

Albert Schweitzer Albert Schweitzer was born in Kaysersberg, the town of grapes, on January 14, 1875. He was unusually weak as a baby, so his father, a church minister, and his mother were much concerned for his health. Thanks to many people's concern and care for his health, Schweitzer grew well. He was unusually curious and enjoyed watching small animals every day. Schweitzer started school at the age of five and was ostracized by other children. Poor children hated Schweitzer, who was rich. You are different from us. Right, you are wearing leather shoes and good clothes, so we can't play with you. Schweitzer was always solitary. One day, Gyor, a mischievous boy, picked a fight. Schweitzer, who was short in height, had a fair fight with him and won it. Afterwards, Schweitzer made friends. Schweitzer's behavior changed after the fight. He was wearing the same clothes and shoes as his friends were. His father, who didn't know why he was doing so, rebuked him, but his mother praised him warm-heartedly. One day Schweitzer was driving a horse carriage. In order to make the old horse run faster, he whipped it hard, recklessly. After seeing the horse was feeling much pain, Schweitzer repented of his act. Schweitzer preferred playing with animals to studying at school, so his father often persuaded him to go to school. Sometimes his father grasped his hand and took him to school. As Schweitzer wasn't interested in studying, he got poor marks at school. But after a new teacher came, his marks at school improved surprisingly. Soon he got very interested in reading and studying. Schweitzer entered a theological school in order to be a church minister, like his father. While saying this, he made up his mind. When he had passed a medical qualification examination after making efforts for six years, he made up his mind to go to Africa. His parents and many other people were opposed to his plan. But they couldn't break his determination to work for the benefit of needy people in Africa, instead of choosing the guaranteed comfortable life as a professor, church minister and musician. After Schweitzer married Helene, who understood him, they went to Africa. Life in uncivilized Africa was much tougher than he thought. Although he treated and advised Africans, they didn't follow his advice. The First World War broke out and the world got caught up in it. Schweitzer was no exception. He was taken to France on the grounds that he was a German. He developed a disease during his life in a prison camp. After being set free, he received medical treatment in his hometown. And he went back to Africa seven years after he left it. Schweitzer provided medical treatment and services to Africans the same way as before. When Schweitzer's services became known to the world, a lot of people sent encouragement and support to him. He built the Lambarine Hospital with the money sent by people around the world. Africans followed Schweitzer as God. When the Second World War broke out, Schweitzer bought medicines and foods just in case. The war continued for a long time. But Schweitzer only poured all his energies into caring for patients. The war ended and peace returned. As Schweitzer's service achievements were recognized, he received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1952. He delivered a lecture on world peace to a lot of people in Norway that year. Help came from a lot of places. Medicines were sent to him. Doctors from countries went to Africa in order to help Schweitzer. Medical facilities in the African hospital were improving little by little. In 1965, radios and televisions reported the sad news that Schweitzer, who was serving in Lambarine, had collapsed. A lot of people prayed for his health. But Schweitzer closed his eyes quietly while listening to his daughter playing the piano. He ended his life at the age of 90. Many Africans who were praying for his health gathered around the hospital and wept bitterly. Keeping this remark in mind all his life, Dr. Schweitzer discarded his personal desires and provided true services for others. Indeed, he was a truly great doctor.