Muli bwanji. Bwino, bwanji
Zikkomo kwambiri
At the gate by eight.
There was a lizard in my bed net. (His name is Norman.)
We need more coffee.
This is so sad.
The sem wives were so fun – I feel so connected.
There’s a frog on the table!
I saw three surgeries – a third ventricular ostomy, a tendon release, and the removal of an extra thumb.
Come, oh, come let us sing to the Lord!
I hear you have pills that can help you lose weight, is that true?
Eet-Sum-Mor; Have-Sum-Mor; Munch-a-Lot
Why are they looking at us so funny?
What happens to monkeys eating the tomatoes?
Why do they want to take our picture?
That boy is holding a monkey tail!
Do YOU have hot water at your place?
We forgot to pay the electric bill.
Speak oh Lord as we come to you to receive the food of your holy word.
Take your truth plant it deep in us, shape and fashion us in your likeness That the light of Christ might be seen today in our acts of love and our deeds of faith.
Speak oh lord and fulfill in us all your purposes for your glory.
By Valerie L., Wisconsin Lutheran College Global Health nursing student
From Lusaka, Zambia:
Our flight was very long, but we finally made it to Zambia! It was a surreal experience when we walked down the steps of the airplane into Zambia. We felt very welcomed when we arrived at the Lutheran seminary grounds.
Our first day here we toured Beit Cure Hospital. Our ride back to the seminary was interesting – we could see all of the different living conditions ranging from compounds to luxury hotels. I cannot imagine what I will see in the coming weeks!
Today some of us went to the market with Professor Carey. We were offered samples of the mwauyu fruit of the baobab tree. It was surprisingly tart.
Congratulations to Wisconsin Lutheran College’s first group of Sigma Theta Tau International nursing honor society inductees (Phi Beta Chapter). The ceremony was held April 13 at Concordia University-Wisconsin.
On Saturday, September 22, The Wisconsin Lutheran College School of Nursing collaborated with Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin to host a respite day event on campus for children with special needs and their siblings.
It was great to see the nursing program reaching out and partnering with the community, as well as partnering with other disciplines around campus.
Activities at the respite day included games, face painting, sports, bingo, music, and the highlight, Milwaukee Brewers mascot Bernie Brewer!
We had about 75 children attend this event and more than 140 volunteers. This respite day not only gave the WLC students the chance to learn about special needs, but supported the servant-leadership qualities that are developed and supported within WLC students on and off campus.
Thank you to all who participated and made this day special!!
After traveling 14 days in Zambia with ne’er a glitch, we arrived at London Heathrow, only to turn into a Three Stooges scene of never-ending queues through immigration, convoluted directions from terminal 5 to terminal 3 to catch the H7 Hoppa to the Travelodge, and a hotel kitchen closing in 10 minutes “but we have pizza.”
It is raining in London this morning, seasonal for this location, but also reflective of how we feel about leaving behind our new-found Zambian brothers and sisters. Many students are wearing flip flops, having given their shoes to their little football player pals. Some talk of creative ways of using their chitenges. All are looking forward to familiar food, but feeling proud of eating n’shima almost daily.
Mwendi bwino (safe journey)
On Tuesday evening, as we wrapped up our clinical experience in Zambia, we were reminded of God’s purpose for us nurses through a devotion by WLC student Ryan Schroeder, based on Scripture from 1 Corinthians 13:
“If I speak in tongues of men and angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong…I am nothing…Love is patient, love is kind… When I was a child, I talked like a child…. When I became a man I put childish ways behind me…”
One thing I noticed while reading this was that if I were to substitute “my name” for the word “love” in this passage, the whole thing would read a lie. “Ryan is patient. He does not boast…” If I were to continue, the passage would be a list of falsehoods. While I don’t intend to be presumptuous, I think it is safe to say that this is true of all of us.
Despite our best intentions to provide care out here, we ourselves have formed the greatest barrier. Poverty is terrible. Language barriers are hard to overcome. But the personal struggle to truly love might be the most insurmountable goal of all.
We came to Zambia full of excitement and the will to serve, but often we have taken more than we could ever hope to repay. Each of us had personal moments that have left us awestruck by how much Zambians can give (and how rich they truly are). Dan with Abel. John with KK. And all of us with Mrs. Nyrenda.
But for all our ineptitude to repay the love we’ve been shown, Christ is able. If we go back to the text and insert the name “Jesus” for “love,” nothing could read truer.
“If I have faith that can move mountains, but have not Jesus, I am nothing… Jesus always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Jesus never fails.”
If we nurse through our own nature, we can never give love. But if we deny ourselves for Christ, our ineptitude makes way for his glory. Through baptism Christ has changed the very nature off humanity, giving us the means to love.
“If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wickedness, then I will forgive their sins and heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14.
The Zambians realize this and know that healing is only through Christ. We, too, can be that loving, but only through Christ.
We have one more day of clinical on the field. It has been two weeks of life-transforming experiences. From AIDS to hydrocephalus to malnutrition to babies born in the back of the car, the scenarios will be indelibly retained in our memories.
Students observed orthopaedic and endoscopic ventricular surgery; assisted with dressing changes of decubiti, burns, skin grafts, and club foot repairs; mourned the loss of an AIDS patient whom we cared for a day earlier; supervised a blood transfusion initiated by Irish med students (who looked to our students for direction); ate nshima with the hospital staff; watched the rice blow off their plates due to the winter winds; drank Coca-Cola regularly since it just hits the spot after a meal of nshima, relish, and beans (or chicken or eggs, or “beef”).
Some have almost overcome their fear of spiders. Most still fret over the giant fruit bats. No snake sightings have been reported.
Overheard recently:
Before you know it your loved ones will be returning from Africa, filled with stories, laden with curios, and wondering how they ever thought the way they used to think.
Each evening they have sung songs of thanksgiving, stirring our hearts to recommit to a God-pleasing life of serving others.
Each evening, the students have taken turns leading the daily devotion. Dan Mulrain wrote the following and shared it with us as we awaited our dinner next to the Zambezi River Saturday.
Genesis 4:2b-7 “Now Abel kept flocks…The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering…If you do what is right, will you not be accepted?”
Many of us are familiar with this section of Scripture. It is rich with lessons not only about stewardship but also about priorities.
On Monday while we were visiting the Mwembezhi clinic, I had the blessing to talk with Abel Mozambuka. We talked for about an hour and discussed many things, including this year’s cotton prices and an explanation of ice-fishing. The most revealing part of the conversation was his priorities. Abel was at the clinic seeking help for his mentally ill daughter, while facing cotton prices of 1500 kwacha/kilo of cotton (less than 50 cents) and trying to send his kids to school. Yet he took time to talk with me and teach me about Zambia and Martin Luther Church and continued to shake my hand and explain how great it was to be talking with someone of the same faith from a world away.
While on a trip like this, I think it is important to re-prioritize. As Prof. Carey says, the point of the trip (and this devotion) is not to make us feel guilty. The intention is not to look at how little Zambian farmers have and how much middle-class Americans have.
Abel’s gift was not necessarily better than Cain’s because he gave a good looking lamb. Abel had his priorities straight; he loved God first, which put everything into perspective for him. Cain’s heart was not in the right place. Cain lacked love, causing him to lose perspective.
Fortunately for us the story does not end here. Another son of Adam came and showed us love – a love that is so incredible that the only way to attempt to show thanks is to imitate that love. The apostle Paul urges us in 1 Corinthians 4 to imitate him as he imitates Christ. In John 15:13 Christ explained that “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” When we imitate this love, everything falls into place, and like Abel we can give our first fruits, our purest fruits.
Lord, teach us to love as you love so that we are able to prioritize, putting love for you first so that everything falls into place. Then, like Abel, our gifts may be pleasing in your sight.
This group photo was taken in front of the David Livingstone statue at Victoria Falls Saturday afternoon. Victoria Falls are a spectacular sight on border of Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Prof. Rebekah Carey is the Director of Nursing at Wisconsin Lutheran College.
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