Nursing Outside the Box

---

By Carolyn Wade, Missionary, Kenya
July-September 2015

Sometimes when I’m asked what I do, I say, “I’m a missionary nurse.” The next question is, “Where do you work?” That requires a more detailed response.

I’m a nurse who enjoys patient education, and God has given me my heart’s desire. Here are some of the places and ways I minister:

• Women’s Health Information: Preparing and distributing notebooks containing information on pertinent women’s health issues to regional, area, district, and local women leaders of Africa Gospel Church. Packets are sent by mail in response to Facebook requests. Kenyan medical professionals also benefit from copies of health documents and radio presentations.
• Radio: Presenting programs encouraging preventive health practices and early treatment and informing about diseases like ebola, tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, and meningitis.
• Office: Writing health articles for AGC’s Trumpetmagazine, writing and editing health documents, and doing radio preparation.
• AGC Primary and Secondary Schools:Encouraging good oral and personal hygiene while also focusing on morality and abstinence.
• Liaison with Tenwek Hospital: Facilitating consultations with doctors.
• Village and Urban AGC Sites: Discussing health information at church gatherings, concluded by distributing medication for intestinal parasites; offering medicine to church leaders and students at Kaboson Pastors Training College and Kenya Highlands Evangelical University; and discussing health information at women’s and men’s meetings and marriage seminars.
• Home Visits: Giving a gift of soap as we are washing hands before meals gives validity to proper hand washing and good health, and giving dish soap gives opportunities to stress preventing the spread of diseases.
• Our Home: Assisting the workers and their families at our building with health needs, such as treatment for malaria, typhoid, anemia, vision problems, ulcers, burns, or fractured bones.

The Sunday morning radio health program closing is “Prevention is better than cure. ‘Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well’ (3 John 2, NIV).”

I am one happy missionary, grateful for a Mission and a church that allows the freedom to think outside the box to practice nursing and help meet health needs.

GO: Nursing opportunities, both inside institutional walls and “outside the box,” exist on several of WGM’s locations. To find the nursing opportunity that will work best for you, visit www.wgm.org/go.