This past Wednesday I was working at the hospital (which everyone calls "the station"). I was assigned the women's infection ward and the men's wards which have a combined total of 14 beds. After discharges I had 4 patients most of the day. Now let me just add that this is really unusual especially with the recent unrest in Togo. Right before I arrived there were more violent riots and so the hospital had a flood of patients injured in the protests. At that time it was "all hands on deck" but now things have settled down for the time being and hopefully for good.
In the afternoon I made my way around to most of the wards just to see if anyone needed anything while saying "Ca va?". I made my way into the men's ward where the "Jesus Film" was playing in one of the Togolese languages. Everyone's eyes were fixed on the movie which was encouraging to see. Each ward has a TV and in the afternoons when people are resting they play the "Jesus Film" or some other christian film. They play them in the different languages that are spoken in the area. Going into the room I didn't really have any intentions but I soon found out that one of the patient's brothers spoke English. I pointed out on the screen who John the baptist was and that he was related to Jesus. He came before Jesus as a prophet (keep in mind I'm trying to choose words that he would understand). The brother translated everything that I said to his mom and anyone else who had gathered around. I explained that baptism in water is something that we do to show the world that we follow Jesus and that I was baptized. Then Jesus came onto the scene. I watched and tried to figure out what was happening in the movie and figured out that it was Jesus wondering in the wilderness and being tempted by Satan. So I told the guy and he translated. (Don't worry, I wasn't interrupting their featured film, they liked talking to me). I told them how Satan tried to get Jesus to do wrong but He didn't because He is perfect. We talked a little bit more about Jesus, His perfection, and how He did miracles while on earth....then I realized that the guy thought that I was saying that Jesus was a prophet because "perfect" and "prophet" ironically sound similar. I had to chuckle once I realized the miscommunication. I corrected myself and emphasized that Jesus is perfect and that is why He is God. Okay, yeah now we were on the same page because then they started to disagree with me. They corrected me saying that Jesus was a prophet. I said that this is the difference between Christianity and Islam. This is what I believe and it is different from what you believe. The boy proceeded to tell me that Jesus couldn't be God because Allah is in heaven. I said that through God came to earth as Jesus. Well that was absurd to them. Once again, I kindly pointed out that this is the difference between Christianity and Islam. It seemed to be clicking, especially with the guy. I also pointed out that Jesus said that He was God and that He was perfect... So either Jesus is perfect and He is God OR He is a bad person for saying such things....making the point that He can't just be a prophet because of what He claimed and the authority He spoke with. I could tell the boy was thinking but I couldn't tell if he understood the point. I pretty much just left things there at that point. It was a very non-confrontational exchange. Funny thing was, I didn't go into that room planning on sharing the Gospel but it was easy and comfortable to do so. In hindsight I can think of more that could have been said but in that moment I felt very at peace with what was being said. I pray a seed was planted. Because of the major cultural differences I know that I have to choose my words wisely when sharing the Bible with people because it could be misunderstood and even offensive which is obviously not my goal. I did not wake up this morning and think that I would share the Gospel with a Muslim but God is faithful. He is good. He is using me in ways that I will not even know until eternity. The Spirit moves in beautiful prompting.
(I would like to add that I am also confident that I didn't offend them because after sharing about Jesus's perfection and deity the mom still wanted me to marry the son that was translating and speaking English.)
Friday, October 6, 2017
Sunday, October 1, 2017
Fully Alive
So let me paint a word picture for you....
Today I worked a 12 hour shift at the Hospital of Hope where I cared for a total of 11 patients throughout the day. It was a steady day but not too crazy. I sincerely enjoyed today. I have to mention that working in a hospital such as this one is an entirely other world for me, and this is an advanced hospital with a lot of western influence for this kind of remote area! Nursing with limited resource, paper charting, different kinds of supplies, and generally a different way of doing things takes a lot of retraining of the mind. I have worked at the same hospital for 3.5 years (and love my job there) so I knew that this would be an exciting adventure to enter into such an unfamiliar environment (and I'd be lying if I didn't say I experienced some anxiety over the unknown leading up to my orientation). Today was my first day on my own after a two day orientation. (Can I just say God totally used med-surg to prepare me for the multitasking and time management that comes with caring for so many patients). I made mistakes today though, and I asked a lot of questions to my very kind and patient coworkers so today was far from perfect. It was a long day. Then this afternoon the down-pour came. You could feel the cool breeze in the hospital which is unusual for the afternoon, the peak of the heat. Then you could hear the rain. Keep in mind, at 7:15 pm (after sunset) I have to bike home on two-thirds sand/dirt roads with already impressive potholes to dodge. Well the rain slowed up but didn't stop so....here I go...I sit down on my wet bike seat and start peddling in my long dress with a headlamp attached to my forehead. And I just started laughing!
The entire way home I could hear the bull frogs bellowing and I got a nice cool down shower all while getting a decent leg workout peddling in the wet sand. Of course, you want to peddle slowly so that you can swerve around the puddles that you think might be too deep to drudge through. I just laughed the entire way home. I have to say, I felt fully alive! Ken Davis wrote a book that I read about half of (I hope to finish because it really is a great book!) and it is all about how even pain or discomfort is an indicator of life! We learn that even in nursing school...if someone feels pain appropriately it means that their body functions and nervous system are working correctly and that is a GOOD thing. Not to say I want to feel pain, necessarily, but feeling and living are absolute gifts from God. I could easily see myself feeling alone, discouraged, or miserable after such a seemingly rough and exhausting day...but God redeems days like this to make me laugh. I can't help but stop and think "I am in western Africa, riding a bike through a rain storm, this is kind of awesome."
Instead of going to "work" I recognize that I get to go use my skills and knowledge to help people that otherwise would not get medical care and the hospital would be short-staffed! I get to work along side people from an entirely different background that share the same passions as me. I get to use goofy gestures and voices to attempt to communicate with people of about 7 different languages (none of which are English, and most of the time not French). I get to hold and play with the most beautiful little babies while I care for their parent or grandparent. I get to listen to the bullfrogs sing a deep and slightly creepy song and my soggy ride home through the jungle of Africa. I get to feel my thighs burning as I peddle because I have the gift of mobility in a young body. I get to cool of in a light rain when usually I'd be soaked in sweat on my ride home (sorry, I know gross). Sorry if I'm getting sentimental, but it is good to feel alive and to live with a purpose bigger than myself. And to soak up every experience as a gift from Jesus. This is not to say that I am not most often selfish. BUT I am convinced that God seriously takes me on the BEST adventures! The passions that God has placed in your heart for HIS glory will make you feel alive because, as I'm reading in John Piper's "An All Consuming Passion For Jesus," our joy and satisfaction coexist when God is most highly worshiped. What an amazing God I serve.
Today I worked a 12 hour shift at the Hospital of Hope where I cared for a total of 11 patients throughout the day. It was a steady day but not too crazy. I sincerely enjoyed today. I have to mention that working in a hospital such as this one is an entirely other world for me, and this is an advanced hospital with a lot of western influence for this kind of remote area! Nursing with limited resource, paper charting, different kinds of supplies, and generally a different way of doing things takes a lot of retraining of the mind. I have worked at the same hospital for 3.5 years (and love my job there) so I knew that this would be an exciting adventure to enter into such an unfamiliar environment (and I'd be lying if I didn't say I experienced some anxiety over the unknown leading up to my orientation). Today was my first day on my own after a two day orientation. (Can I just say God totally used med-surg to prepare me for the multitasking and time management that comes with caring for so many patients). I made mistakes today though, and I asked a lot of questions to my very kind and patient coworkers so today was far from perfect. It was a long day. Then this afternoon the down-pour came. You could feel the cool breeze in the hospital which is unusual for the afternoon, the peak of the heat. Then you could hear the rain. Keep in mind, at 7:15 pm (after sunset) I have to bike home on two-thirds sand/dirt roads with already impressive potholes to dodge. Well the rain slowed up but didn't stop so....here I go...I sit down on my wet bike seat and start peddling in my long dress with a headlamp attached to my forehead. And I just started laughing!
The entire way home I could hear the bull frogs bellowing and I got a nice cool down shower all while getting a decent leg workout peddling in the wet sand. Of course, you want to peddle slowly so that you can swerve around the puddles that you think might be too deep to drudge through. I just laughed the entire way home. I have to say, I felt fully alive! Ken Davis wrote a book that I read about half of (I hope to finish because it really is a great book!) and it is all about how even pain or discomfort is an indicator of life! We learn that even in nursing school...if someone feels pain appropriately it means that their body functions and nervous system are working correctly and that is a GOOD thing. Not to say I want to feel pain, necessarily, but feeling and living are absolute gifts from God. I could easily see myself feeling alone, discouraged, or miserable after such a seemingly rough and exhausting day...but God redeems days like this to make me laugh. I can't help but stop and think "I am in western Africa, riding a bike through a rain storm, this is kind of awesome."
Instead of going to "work" I recognize that I get to go use my skills and knowledge to help people that otherwise would not get medical care and the hospital would be short-staffed! I get to work along side people from an entirely different background that share the same passions as me. I get to use goofy gestures and voices to attempt to communicate with people of about 7 different languages (none of which are English, and most of the time not French). I get to hold and play with the most beautiful little babies while I care for their parent or grandparent. I get to listen to the bullfrogs sing a deep and slightly creepy song and my soggy ride home through the jungle of Africa. I get to feel my thighs burning as I peddle because I have the gift of mobility in a young body. I get to cool of in a light rain when usually I'd be soaked in sweat on my ride home (sorry, I know gross). Sorry if I'm getting sentimental, but it is good to feel alive and to live with a purpose bigger than myself. And to soak up every experience as a gift from Jesus. This is not to say that I am not most often selfish. BUT I am convinced that God seriously takes me on the BEST adventures! The passions that God has placed in your heart for HIS glory will make you feel alive because, as I'm reading in John Piper's "An All Consuming Passion For Jesus," our joy and satisfaction coexist when God is most highly worshiped. What an amazing God I serve.
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| Meet Iesha. I could literally bring her home with me. Her giggle is one of the most contagious laughs I've ever heard and music to my ears....videos to come! |
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| This little one's not too sure about us white people but still stinking beautiful and she humors me with a smile occasionally. Her mom and grandma were riding a moto (like a dirt bike which is a common form of transportation) and they wrecked. This precious baby girl was strapped onto her mom's back when it happen. Both her mom and grandma broke their right femurs but the baby is completely untouched from the accident! |
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| This picture does not do my trail justice. And see how only part of the ride is lit....yeah, it is quite a maze. I'm starting to find the challenge fun though! |
Sunday, September 24, 2017
Airplane, Car, and Bike
I have made my way to Mango, Togo (pronounced "Mongo")!
Everything with travel went smoothly and I met some very interesting people on the plane rides. After a long day of flying on Thursday I arrived Friday evening in the capital, Lome, where 3 missionaries from the Hospital of Hope greeted me.The third missionary who is a nurse, Laura (who is from Ireland), was on her way out of the country to visit her family for a week. Gary and Deb are from Michigan and they are such warm people. Gary, Deb, and I woke up and hit the road at 6 am Saturday morning with our driver Pariko. I enjoyed getting to talk to them about the Hospital because they're involvement with it dates back to its very beginnings. They have taken trips to literally build the hospital and its facilities and they have been a part of sending supplies from the states. I loved getting to hear about their love for the Hospital and the people of Mango. Talking with them really made me excited to be a part of something that is so obviously bigger than myself. We had a 8-9 hour drive to Mango which is in the northern part of Togo. We drove through villages and over mountains with a lot of patches that had insane number of giant pot-holes! I have no idea how these vehicles function in this kind of terrain! We arrived in Mango mid-afternoon. Most of the missionaries that weren't working were at a pool party on the hospital grounds for a birthday of one of the missionary's sons. I got a quick tour of the grounds and then I was driven to the house where I am staying with a bunch of other single ladies. Most of the ladies are about my age and everyone is incredibly welcoming and kind! Here I learned that I do not have an option for air conditioning which I thought would be the case...but when on mission flexibility is the name of the game! Like the other women in the house, I will be taking lots of cold showers to stay cool when at home. I also learned that I will not have an individual interpreter. There are so many different dialects that it wouldn't even really make that much sense to have an interpreter. So I will have to grab a local nursing assistant whenever I need something translated. This just means that I will have to be creative in my communication! Tomorrow, Monday, I will start my orientation at the hospital. Today, Sunday, is a great day of rest for me. I slept about 8 or 9 hours last night and it was glorious! The electricity kicked off twice during the night which was basically like an alarm clock because my standing fan turns off too.
But with so much sleep I felt like a new woman this morning. This evening I will go onto the hospital grounds to join the other missionaries for some wiffle ball and then we will have a church service. We had pizza for lunch which is quite the treat. My main form of transportation while here will be bike so I should be in good shape when I return to the states!
I pray that I will continue to be able to sleep well, that orientation will go well tomorrow in the hospital, and that I will be able to retain French phrases to use while here.
Merci beaucoup.... for all of your prayers!
Everything with travel went smoothly and I met some very interesting people on the plane rides. After a long day of flying on Thursday I arrived Friday evening in the capital, Lome, where 3 missionaries from the Hospital of Hope greeted me.The third missionary who is a nurse, Laura (who is from Ireland), was on her way out of the country to visit her family for a week. Gary and Deb are from Michigan and they are such warm people. Gary, Deb, and I woke up and hit the road at 6 am Saturday morning with our driver Pariko. I enjoyed getting to talk to them about the Hospital because they're involvement with it dates back to its very beginnings. They have taken trips to literally build the hospital and its facilities and they have been a part of sending supplies from the states. I loved getting to hear about their love for the Hospital and the people of Mango. Talking with them really made me excited to be a part of something that is so obviously bigger than myself. We had a 8-9 hour drive to Mango which is in the northern part of Togo. We drove through villages and over mountains with a lot of patches that had insane number of giant pot-holes! I have no idea how these vehicles function in this kind of terrain! We arrived in Mango mid-afternoon. Most of the missionaries that weren't working were at a pool party on the hospital grounds for a birthday of one of the missionary's sons. I got a quick tour of the grounds and then I was driven to the house where I am staying with a bunch of other single ladies. Most of the ladies are about my age and everyone is incredibly welcoming and kind! Here I learned that I do not have an option for air conditioning which I thought would be the case...but when on mission flexibility is the name of the game! Like the other women in the house, I will be taking lots of cold showers to stay cool when at home. I also learned that I will not have an individual interpreter. There are so many different dialects that it wouldn't even really make that much sense to have an interpreter. So I will have to grab a local nursing assistant whenever I need something translated. This just means that I will have to be creative in my communication! Tomorrow, Monday, I will start my orientation at the hospital. Today, Sunday, is a great day of rest for me. I slept about 8 or 9 hours last night and it was glorious! The electricity kicked off twice during the night which was basically like an alarm clock because my standing fan turns off too.
But with so much sleep I felt like a new woman this morning. This evening I will go onto the hospital grounds to join the other missionaries for some wiffle ball and then we will have a church service. We had pizza for lunch which is quite the treat. My main form of transportation while here will be bike so I should be in good shape when I return to the states!
I pray that I will continue to be able to sleep well, that orientation will go well tomorrow in the hospital, and that I will be able to retain French phrases to use while here.
Merci beaucoup.... for all of your prayers!
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| Everyone who comes to the hospital flies into Lome and then travels north to Mango. |
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| Can you see me?...Just kidding, we were following this vehicle (but not for long because everyone passes each other like a continual game of "chicken"). |
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| Cars would have wood or luggage piled high like this. Not sure how these vehicles last any length of time. |
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| My bedroom on the 2nd floor of the "Beyonce house" which is a joke just because all of the ladies there are single. |
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| The bathroom that I share with Monan who is from Wyoming. |
Monday, September 18, 2017
Unlikely
I'll tell you what...God is so good. The sermon this weekend at Lifehouse Church by Pastor Patrick about Deborah the judge spoke directly to my fears and insecurities about going to Togo. "God chooses the most unlikely people to do the most unlikely things." I know my weaknesses and strengths and I can tell you that I am not the most qualified person to go to Togo. I am not brave, I don't know any French, I adore my coworkers, family, and friends, I really appreciate comfort, and I don't really usually like international foods. Even more than those things, I have been listening to the voices of people in my past and my own fears. These words drill deep insecurities into my heart about doing medical missions. I don't have the strongest faith and I'm not the smartest nurse. I have recently felt very underqualified to go to Togo because of these whispers.
BUT
the most awesome thing about serving God is that these things actually qualify me to be used by Him. In my weaknesses He is strong. At the end of this month I can only give God the glory for whatever transpires in Togo. I am chosen by God and I am chosen for His purpose. I can have God-confidence in place of self-confidence because He wants to work in and through my weaknesses. He alone will deepen my faith and understating of His grace and character. He alone will use me and my skills to help heal. He alone will give me the words to speak truth into the lives of others. I don't have to be qualified. I don't have to be anything other than obedient. This reassurance has been like a weight lifted off of my shoulders as I prepare to go to Togo.
I will also add that when following Him scares me, and requires faith, it is probably a God-size dream that He has placed in my heart. This comforts me in knowing that I am going where I am supposed to go. I am going where only He can lead me.
I am evidence that God really does lead us on the wildest and most amazing adventures.
What is your God-sized dream?
Stay tuned for more about Togo!
Here is a link to watch the sermon that I reference...
http://www.lifehousechurch.org/sermons/series/43/
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