God moments. That’s how my high school youth group would describe ways we saw God work while on mission trips during our debriefs. I saw many God moments on my trip to Egbe, Nigeria, and here are just a few:
One day I got to go out with two missionaries and another nurse to see the school being built for children in a nearby town and then we went to a Fulani village right down the road from the school. We were meeting with the chief of the village, and we were going to present him with a Bible that was in his language, something he did not have yet. As we sat on some stumps and handmade benches in some shade behind the chief’s hut, he shared his story of how his dad never let him go to school and how he would peek his head into classrooms just to try to listen and learn with the other students. As he got older and had his own kids, he made it a priority that they went to school and got an education. How handy that the missionary is building a school right down the road from this chief’s village? They start talking and this missionary is able to build a relationship with this M* chief and tell him about Jesus. Fast forward to today and this missionary and his friend are sharing the Good News, through a translator, with the chief and others from the village. They give him the Bible and have him read John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him will not perish but will have everlasting life”. We don’t know for sure if the chief believes in Jesus yet, but he is seeking and is open to conversations. During the whole encounter I kept praying for God to open the chief’s ears to hear and soften his heart to the truth, that he would believe, and God would use him to be an influence to his whole village. I thanked God for the opportunity to have a very literal front row seat to how He is working on one heart of one man in this one country. God reminded me of the importance of the task set before us as believers: to share the Good News and the message of salvation to everyone- in Nigeria, and back home. Am I doing that with all the lost sheep that He has put in my life?
Another day, we went on an outreach trip to a different Fulani village with the goal of seeing as many people as possible to provide them with any needed medical care since coming all the way to the hospital was too big of a journey and a bit too expensive. The day before we came out, a local pastor who spoke their language spread the news that we were coming. When we arrived we were greeted with quite the crowd. Before they were able to be seen, the pastor gave a brief message on God’s love and then we spent the next few hours taking vitals, maintaining lines, and handing out stickers to the children! Eventually the doctor was not able to see anyone else which made some villagers upset and many of the children and wives were lingering in the area despite already being seen by the doctor. Someone from our group used the translator and the microphone to reiterate that we all loved them, but more importantly that God loved each one of them. I found myself standing there and looking at all these people that God made and loved and praying that they would not only hear the truth but understand it and that it would take root in their hearts and that they would believe. As the children gathered around, I encouraged the other nurses to sing children’s songs I sang with kids back home at my church Sunday mornings. We sang Jesus Loves Me and Father Abraham, and even though they didn’t join in or maybe even understand what we were saying, I prayed that our joy from the Lord and love for His children was clear and would make a lasting impact. As believers we are called to be the hands and feet of Jesus. Oftentimes it’s not the big things that we do for others, it’s the little things like a gentle touch, a warm smile, or even just being there and wanting to help that are how we can be the hands and feet of Jesus. When I was tempted to think that I wasn’t doing enough because I didn’t have the right skills, or saying enough because of the language barrier, I was gently reminded that it’s not about me or my skills but it’s about Him using me to accomplish His purposes in the way that He knows is best.
One day I was supposed to go out with a group on an outreach trip to a nearby village which I was really looking forward to, but the rain, and God, had other plans for that day. I was assigned to the female/pediatric ward for my 7am – 2pm shift instead and a patient named Mercy was the only kid on the pediatric ward. She was at the end of the hall, lying on her bed sleeping while her older brother slept on another bed nearby. She was 9 years old, I found out, and was admitted several weeks ago for an infected snake bite on her left calf. I remember my housemate recounting the girl that was screaming and crying during her dressing changes and figured this must be her. My heart broke for this sweet girl who looked at me with her big brown eyes, a mix of fear, sadness, and curiosity as she looked into mine, her shyness made clear by the lack of words in response to my questions. Coming from a background of pediatric nursing, my heart was already softened for His little children and so I immediately tried to think of what I could do to bring Mercy some joy. I remembered that I had some stickers in my bag and her face lit up as I started putting them on her hand. Her smile made me smile. But it didn’t feel like enough, and I wanted to do more. As I went back to the guesthouse for lunch, I shared Mercy’s story with my friend and she encouraged me to bring her some food, a book and some markers. I couldn’t wait to get back! I gave Mercy the treats, and as the students and I walked away, I saw her carefully take her soda and food and slowly limp over to show her brother, bearing the biggest smile.
On my last day in Egbe I was on the female/pediatric ward again. My journal entry that evening read, “It’s our last day! So many emotions…I’m sad to leave these last few weeks, questioning whether I really made a difference and wondering if there’s more I could’ve done or said. Feels like I needed more time. I’m so so thankful to have been able to come – it’s two weeks I will never forget…” Being on the pediatric floor on my last day and feeling all the emotions, the Holy Spirit nudged me to go over to Mercy who was lying on her bed on her stomach and drawing lines on the floor. I had also learned a bit more about Mercy…her family traveled a long way to get her here and since it had been a few days after the snake bite, it got infected and now she had two large wounds on her calf. She was almost ready to go home but had accumulated quite the medical bill which meant she would not be able to leave until it was paid. I saw the book I brought her which was a children’s story that explained the Bible in simple terms. I offered to read it to her. She nodded, so I sat down on a chair next to her bed and started at the beginning. At one point a nursing student came over and asked, “Does she even understand you?” and I responded, “I’m not sure, but I’m going to keep reading!” I hoped that I would be an example to the nursing students about spending time with patients and looking for ways to meet more than their physical needs. I didn’t know if Mercy knew who Jesus was or if she did understand me, but I wanted to be obedient to God’s prompting to read to Mercy and trust that He can work despite language barriers.
As we were reading, the nurse came over to do her dressing change. Mercy looked scared and I offered to let her watch some children’s shows on my phone to help distract her. She was so brave and didn’t even cry! Before I left, I helped the nursing students put on a show on the big television that was on the unit for her, as I think my concern for Mercy’s loneliness and boredom wore off on the nursing students. My friend and I shared Mercy’s story online and between other friends/family/volunteers we were able to pay off Mercy’s medical bill by donating to the hospital’s Benevolent Fund, so as soon as she was cleared, she could go home! The Bible verse on that day’s journal entry page was Psalm 145:9: “The Lord is good to all: and His tender mercies are over all His works”. I don’t know how Mercy’s story at ECWA Hospital Egbe ended, or if I’ll ever see her again, but I pray that seeds were planted in her heart, seeds of faith that will only grow as she grows and that maybe one day I’ll see her again in Heaven. But for now, I’m thankful for the ways she touched my heart and reminded me of God’s mercies in my life.
Kaelyn, Volunteer Nurse
