Week 20

Here's another quick update from the past week... cool stories!

I just returned from visiting a mother at her home. While we were sitting on the floor in her home I noticed a lot of differences. They had one room that was the kitchen, the living room, the dining room and the bedroom for both her parents, her new baby, her husband, and herself(and the family of mice we noticed scurrying along on the floor); I was struck by how different our lives are. As we were talking and learning about each other, her husband walked in and told her that he had just received a call from family saying his brother had thrown kerosene on his wife and she was dying in the hospital. I know. (Only yesterday I had asked a patient about the scars on her arms while I took her blood pressure, and that patient had told me the exact same story.) We sat in shocked silence until I asked if we could pray.Though she was Hindu, she agreed. I looked for emotion and did see it, controlled though. She expressed how happy she was because only yesterday her sister–in-law had come to see the baby.

Another story, equally tragic; yesterday in Admissions I saw a young girl, probably younger than myself, chained to a bed. After investigating I discovered she was a prostitute who had been caught and put in jail. She was 16 weeks pregnant and the police had taken her to the hospital because she was complaining of stomach pain. She knew a little English and I was able to pray with her and explain that I will try visit her at the jail. The police officer was a woman my age who was interested in why we were asking about her prisoner and we were able to talk to her about God’s love. As we said goodbye she wished us good luck, and encouraged us for trying to help the young prisoner. What am I learning? That I am a missionary who’s role is to incorporate God’s love into every interaction and as I continue to step out, I begin to really love what God has entrusted me with!

Reading through Proverbs these past few days I’ve seen over and over again how we should love discipline and correction. Well I don’t. After a long talk with my mentor Bekah, I have decided to give it a try and make a choice to seek out discipline and invite correction from others instead of shying away and becoming offended when it happens as I really want to mature and this is an excellent opportunity to be moulded into a better Stefanie(still trying to convince myself that I should enjoy it though).

love you guys,

Stef