This is the devotion I did for the ward nurses this last Wednesday-
I had no desire to be a nurse. Honestly, when I heard the other nursing students giving their reasons for choosing nursing, mine felt shallow. No one in my family was in health care. I come from a long line of engineers, teachers, and postal workers. I said I wanted to be a nurse because I had an interest in science and liked helping people. The actual reason was because my sister picked it. She picked nursing because she thought I had. We had no idea where it came from. Being only a year between us, we entered nursing school a semester apart. I have no great story for why I because a nurse. I just chose it on a whim. Considering I had never been past the doors of an ER (Emergent, acute or emergency room to my international friends), I had no idea what I got myself into.
Nursing is one of those careers that will let one know real fast if they are meant for it or not. Thinking the tough part was over when I graduated, I started working three years ago. Little did I know. I knew nothing about what life was really like for a nurse. Nursing school could not prepare me for it. In three years I’ve managed to get kicked, punched, jumped, almost bitten (on Christmas no less), yelled at, hugged, threatened, and grabbed. If you are curious, I worked in cardiac telemetry, not a psych unit (though that was in serious debate at times). I’ve been with people as they die, as they were born, at their darkest times, and at their most joyous. I’ve seen how dark or pathetic people can become and I’ve seen bravery and courage I doubt I could have. This career has shown me humanity in its full spectrum. It’s aggravating, beautiful, annoying, and humbling at the same time.
When I came on board the ship, nursing and I had a strong love/hate relationship. While loving the autonomy of being a nurse, I could not agree when I was in charge of a 36 bed unit with six patients of my own, one coding, on the way to ICU, and two total cares. This place has been rehab from nursing for me. Is it tough? At times. But the difference is the people here. There is an enthusiasm to help here that is both contagious and comforting. I was nervous when I got here. Imagining my hospital on a ship, I thought this was potentially a bad idea.
We come from a variety of specialties. Some of us are ward nurses at home, others ICU, ER, or labor and delivery. We have nurses of forty years working with those a couple into the profession. It works out though. In the beautiful (though chaotic sometimes) tapestry of the nursing here, it all comes together. One of us knows Pedi patients, another has incredible bed-side manner, one may act calm and focused during a code, and another may have the gift of patience. It’s amazing it all fits together.
I had people at home ask why I came here. Before I could think of anything eloquent to say, I’d tell them it was something I always wanted to do. It was just vague enough to answer their question, whether or not it made sense. Over the last few months though, I’ve been given the chance to consider that question again. There is always something behind what we see. Something is always behind our thoughts and decisions, behind me and behind Mercy Ships as a whole.
The question is:
Why would anyone want to live on a ship to take care of strangers on the others side of the world?
It is because of the love of Christ.
Let me explain.
Two thousand years ago, Jesus Christ came to earth as the salvation for all mankind. Being both God and man, Christ lived the perfect life man could never hope of achieving. On a certain Friday, Christ walked up to Calvary and allowed himself to be nailed to a cross. That cross could not hold him down, nor the nails hold him up. He chose His cross. As God in the flesh, His most glorious moment was when He humbled himself to allow us to crucify Him on the cross. Jesus willingly drank the cup of His father’s wrath against sin in its entirety. For every evil deed we will do in this life, He already paid the price in full. Three days later He rose from the dead, sealing the covenant, and saving us from our sin.
With His resurrection comes the new man. Just as we fell into sin by the actions of one, now we are saved by another. Any belief we have, any faith bestowed, any good deeds we do, all of them are Christ living in us. All we have is Christ doing them through us. We take no credit for them; they are given by God. We cannot do them on our own, by any means. While it is true that we should be imitators of Christ, the most important thing our Lord teaches is that He came to call sinners. He came to show us what we are, and how much we need a savior. For the first time, we are not focused on whether we are doing too much or too little of the law. The curse the law has been lifted. Now we are given the chance to see our neighbor in need.
This love is why Mercy Ships is able to serve. The love of Christ causes the surgeons to operate, the nurses to care, the health educators to teach, housekeeping to clean, the cooks to cook, the crew to take care for the ship, and the Gospel to be spread. Behind all the thoughts and actions of the crew of this ship, that love pulses with the love of Christ, moving us to act, even when we do not feel or see it’s presence. The love of Christ frees us from our sin, and allows us to see our neighbor in need.
It’s comforting to know our place in all this. It’s not a struggle to please God. It’s the change to be used as an instrument of HIS hope and healing. We have come for numerous reasons, some good, some shallow, some incredible, and others boring. But we are here. Regardless of our feelings we are being used by a loving creator, as instruments of His peace. We have been given the chance to see His glory and majesty.
“For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in creating, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”-Paul in his letter to the Romans
“For it was by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”- Paul in his letter to the Ephesians
And lastly in John’s letter to the early church.-”We love because He first loved us.”
To Christ be all Glory!
-This has been an incredible three months. Even though I am happy to see family and friends again, I’m not ready to leave Africa yet. This has been a delightful adventure. I wish I could somehow convey how it feels like to leave here. It’s surreal. In 12 hours though I fly to Paris, beginning the long journey back to Houston. Thank you again to all the people who have supported me this last few months. You are all a blessing. Thank you to my new friends on the ship. I will miss you all.
Myles
