[dietetics club] Nursing students care for those in Africa outreach 234 [organizations] Row 1: K. Rankin, A.Langston, A. Click. Row 2: L. Haynes, J. Welker, K. Mitchell, C. Nix. Row 3: R. Inloes, A. Archer, A. Tappe. Row 4: K. Koch, H. White, E. Whittington, L. Llewellyn. The nursing school’s summer mission trip toTanzania,Africa,was a life-changing event for all who were involved.The group, led by Assistant Professor of Nursing Janice Bingham, consisted of six female students, four of whom were nursing majors. Senior Cara McCormick, a nursing major and health missions minor, found the trip to be an incredible learning experience. “We went to the hospital everyday in time for chapel, and then we went to the different wards to help the nurses,” McCormick said. “My favorite [ward] was labor and delivery because we got to deliver babies by ourselves sometimes.” The group was able to be a part of many procedures that most nursing students in the United States seldom had the chance to experience. In spite of her lack of medical training, senior Bridget Anderson, a biology major, was able use her biology knowledge while in the field. “I was allowed to spend a good amount of my time working in the hospital laboratory,which was a little more consistent with my interests in science and public health,”Anderson said. Senior Lori Wise, a nursing major, went on the trip to Tanzania because of her love for missions. “The opportunity just came up, and I decided I would put my faith in God and go serve overseas,”Wise said. For many in the group,Tanzania made a huge impact on how they viewed nursing. “Nursing is not just a science but [it’s also] an art,”Wise said.“I really could not talk with the patients, but actions say a lot. Even though the patients couldn’t understand what I was saying, they could get that I wanted to pray for them, and they were so appreciative of my time and prayers.” Anderson recalled her first few days at the mission and the impact it had on her faith. “This trip put a face on missions for me,”Anderson said.“It’s not about the numbers; it’s about the people.” Their trip to Tanzania really opened up the group’s eyes to the stark contrast of medical care available in Africa compared to the U.S. “It hurt me to think that the majority of the world only has access to the type of health care we were able to participate in during our time in Africa, while here in the U.S. we have almost an unlimited amount of resources,”Wise said.“I watched a baby die all alone because he was born prematurely, and they did not have the equipment to help sustain his life. We are so incredibly blessed.” McCormick believed the trip had a huge impact on her spiritual life. “One day a woman was trying to sell her baby in the courtyard, and we used a translator to help us share Christ’s love with her and her baby,” McCormick said. “We went to the market and picked out clothes and food for her and sent her home with a care package of new things. We also gave her a Swahili Bible and had one of the preachers at the mission talk to her about her situation.” Through their trip to Tanzania, the students broadened their minds and their outlook on caring for their patients. [Danielle Kanipe]
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