"Seeking Wisdom from Above"

Every spring, APU cancels classes for a day and instead holds an event called Common Day of Learning. There are lots of different sessions led by faculty, students, and guest speakers about a wide variety of topics. This semester's CDL was held yesterday, and I got to be one of the presenters!

The theme this year was Seeking Wisdom from Above. Two of my South Africa study abroad friends and I planned a session about the wisdom we gained from our nursing experiences in South Africa. Seven of the nursing students that just returned from SA joined us as well. We had a great time sharing our love of the South African people and culture, as well as talking about the lessons we learned.

I talked about one of the clinics that we went to called Mason's Clinic.

This small clinic serves the rural township of Haniville, which is primarily made up of small mud shacks built on the hillside.

They have no running water or proper sanitation, which means that there are a lot of health issues, and the clinic is usually very busy.

A personal anecdote that I shared was about the lesson I learned on the importance of greeting patients as they come in. My very first clinical day was spent at Mason's, and I barely knew any Zulu at the time. I was really frustrated because I couldn't communicate with the patients on my own, and it helped me realize how important greeting patients in their own language is because it develops trust and respect and shows the patient that you care about them.

Near the end of the presentation, we shared a small nugget of wisdom that we each took away from our experience. Mine was about the fact that nursing isn't just about the skills we perform. It's also about supporting and encouraging patients spiritually and emotionally.

I also shared something that God reminded me of over and over while I was in South Africa, that each person I encounter is His precious child.

I shared a verse from The Message,
"God chose you out of all the people on earth as His cherished personal treasure" ~ Deut. 14:2
This verse really resonated with me, and reminded me how much He loves each one of us. I talked about how He knows the struggles and the pain that we're going through, but it's all part of His plan because He works everything for His good.

It turned out to be a great presentation and we had about 100 people come to listen to it! I was really grateful that I got a chance to share the wonderful things that I experienced and learned in the amazing country of South Africa.



P.S. I've continued to make progress on my cross-stitch, little by litte...