Today...

This happened today:

After joining some friends for coffee this morning, I set myself up in the cafe (a very central location on the ship) with this sign and a small variety of lotions and oils.  Since it was a Sunday morning and a lot of people go off ship to local churches, it's not surprising that I only got a handful of people that took me up on my offer.  But I realized something after one of these people bounced my request for a "God story" back at me.  I'm craving a little reassurance and deeper connection.  I want to hear more from people than just how tired they are of having chicken almost every night this week, I want to go past the regular discussions of who's working what shift and how the patients are doing and what amazing restaurant someone just discovered in town... even though these things do interest me.  

I want to hear about the big things.  I want to know about the way God is leading a nurse to apply to a university for her masters and how she needs to learn to trust God for more.  I want to hear about the guy who found himself with exact funding for his time on the ship, with only a dollar to spare.  I want to know more about the educator who was told that the class she taught to local doctors a few months ago is already saving lives.

I think I may have benefitted more from this morning than the people who got the hand massages.  So this might become a regular thing.  

In the meantime, I have something else to think about.  I've had the chance to shadow (follow) some local midwives at the local teaching hospital. In fact some of them have come and followed me around our ship hospital as well.  It's a bit of a learning exchange, and a big part of that will happen tomorrow.  Tomorrow we are holding a class for them on any topics they want (within their scope of practice).  We have already taught NRP (what to do with a newborn who isn't breathing) a month ago.  Tomorrow's class will include a range of topics including VVF anatomy & causes, Obstetric Emergencies, Pain control in labor, and Postpartum Hemorrhage.

Pray that we present the information in a way that helps the Midwives to understand and remember it.  Pray that we would be culturally sensitive and yet able to show them ways to work within the limitations at their hospital.  Pray that we are able to speak TRUTH into their lives.