OCTOBER COMMENTS FROM A VOLUNTEER NURSE

Here is a testimony from the young nurse who just completed her Kowak service in October:

“While words can't quite capture the vast array of experiences and emotions that I felt while in Kowak, I will do my best. Traveling alone as a young, female, English-speaking college graduate, I stared out the airplane window, partially questioning my sanity. I had absolutely no idea what to expect- I didn't know if anyone would speak English, if I would enjoy the food, or if I would be using the bush out back as a bathroom. Fortunately for me, Kowak ended up being far better than anything I could have imagined. As I maneuvered through the joys and challenges of each day, I had to full-heartedly trust that God would guide me through. While in Africa, I experienced some extreme highs: I looked at a crowd of 150 students with eager eyes, wanting to learn more about ways to keep themselves healthy, I saw sick and nearly lifeless children recover after receiving antibiotics and blood transfusions, and I helped welcome dozens of babies into the world. However, I also experienced some extreme lows: I watched corpses being carried out on motorcycles, woke up to the sobs of a family who had just lost a loved one, and I put my hands on the chest of a young child, praying for the rise and fall of a breath that would never come. While it’s extremely difficult to process and reconcile everything that I have seen and experienced, there are some major takeaways that will forever shape the way I live my life. First and foremost, I have learned that when you commit your life to God, making yourself uncomfortable and vulnerable, He will always provide for you. When you stop relying on yourself and your own understanding, it allows God to do some pretty incredible things with your life. Surrendering to God does not result in a boring and mundane life, it allows for a life that is beautiful and exciting beyond imagine. A second takeaway, in relation to mission work specifically, is that when you are willing to give, you receive SO MUCH more in return. In choosing to give my time and energy, I gained valuable nursing skills, I attained a better understanding of poverty and how to advocate for those in need around the world, I received life-long friendships, I was showered with love and hospitality from complete strangers, I felt closer to God than I have in years. I left Africa in tears, thanking God for an opportunity that many people don't get to have. Tanzania has my heart and I can't wait to go back again someday. Asante sana (thank you very much), Maryknoll!"

MARANDA MILLER