Yet to Come

First I turned in a 30 day notice to the management of my apartment complex, letting them know that I am not renewing the lease and will be moving out by the end of September. Then, I met with my unit supervisor at work and let her know that I would be quitting my job in the middle of November. It has been a week full of change, full of sadness at things coming to an end, and full of excitement at things yet to come. I'm going to Africa, y'all. And this is all part of the process - uprooting myself from things that are familiar in order to devote myself to what God is inviting me to do. It's not always comfortable, but it always adventurous. 

When I told my supervisor that I would soon be turning in a two weeks notice, my mind flashed back to all my favorite memories over the past year: the first delivery I attended (I cried), the first cervix that I actually checked correctly, my first successful IV start, my first delivery attended by myself, my first emergent situation, the first time I felt like a doctor trusted me. Just over a year ago, God gave me a job in labor and delivery, allowing me to do what I love in order to prepare me for future service in Africa. 

Just last night, I had a patient with a fast delivery. The doctor wasn't able to make it in time and she was ready to deliver, so I got to be there to catch the baby and welcome her into the world. Even though that is not technically supposed to happen, those are my favorite moments in labor and delivery. I remember catching my very first baby in Tanzania, Africa, where I fell in love with OB nursing. I have caught three babies here in the United States while working nights. And I caught my first Burkina baby this past summer! 

In that moment last night, when I coached the woman through breathing and pushing and resting, I felt a deep peace. I felt like this is what I am made to do, and I want to spend the rest of my life doing it for the fame and glory of Jesus. Mingled in with the deep peace was also a deep anticipation - almost like a sense of prophecy - that brought me excitement about the many opportunities yet to come when I move to Burkina in a few short months. Even though my job here is coming to an end, I knew there would be many more moments like this in the future. 

I say that I am going to Africa to participate in a ministry of healing, but what exactly does that look like? I think about Jesus, the greatest medical missionary, who used healing over and over again to point people to the Healer. He is the Great Physician, where true spiritual healing is found. Following in his footsteps, I desire to use healing to introduce people to the Healer. But once again, what does that actually look like? 

It looks like gazing into the eyes of every infant while the mother holds him for the first time and saying, "You are a miracle, do you know it? You are a precious gift from God, and you are loved." 

It looks like holding a woman's hand when her baby has been shipped to another hospital with complications. In her sadness and confusion, I tell her, "I don't have all the answers, but I know that when I need comfort, I find it in God. Do you mind if I pray with you?" And I take her hands in mine and pray for her as tears roll down her face.

It looks like walking into a patients room for the first time to introduce myself, knowing that her labor experience is not going to be the normal, joyful one. She found out yesterday that she lost her baby, but must deliver it anyway. As I walk into the room, I explain to her that I need to start an IV, run fluids, and get her to sign consents. But then I roll the chair right next to the side of her bed, sit down next to her, and tell her that none of those things need to happen until I share with her my sympathy and the hope I have in Jesus when everything seems to fall apart.

That's what the ministry of healing is about. It is being there for people on the happiest and saddest days of their lives, sharing in their most vulnerable moments, and speaking the name of Jesus into those places. 

So what will a ministry of healing look like in Africa? I don't think it will look much different than what it already looks like for me here. This past year, The Lord has taught me through my job how to use nursing as a ministry, and now I can't wait to go to Africa and discover how to do the same thing over there.

Yes, I am giving up my apartment and giving up my job. I am slowly withdrawing and uprooting from all my activities and commitments here in the United States. But I am not giving up on one thing - my hope in the Healer. I am not withdrawing or uprooting from one thing - my commitment to Jesus and his kingdom work around the world. 

Thank you, Jesus, for an amazing job in labor and delivery that was full of rich experiences. And thank you for calling me out of this job and into the next one. Most of all, thank you for being the Healer and for inviting me to be a nurse in your ministry of healing.