I recently had to answer the following questions for an online interview and thought you might enjoy!
How did you first hear about Living Hope?
My church back home in Tennessee, has a longstanding partnership with Living Hope. Many of our members haved serve at Living Hope in the past and each of them brought back stories of how God was working at Living Hope. God used my church to stir the calling He had already placed in my heart for missions and to show me how I could contribute the mission of Living Hope.
How long have you been in South Africa? 6 months
Where are you from originally? Nashville, TN
Why South Africa? South Africa has the highest HIV infection rate of any country in the world. It also has more deaths from HIV than any other country in the world. I knew I wanted to serve in an area of great need, and South Africa has a great need. Here I get to use my nursing skills to their greatest capacity.
Why Living Hope? After six long years of praying, seeking and researching Christian non-profits in the healthcare field, I knew LH was the right fit for me. Not only did I feel that God was very specifically calling me to Living Hope, but I also felt very confident in the way that Living Hope does ministry. Living Hope is based on transformational development. It's focus is to bring people to Christ, so that they can transform and develop their own community. It's grassroots, it's wholistic and it's evangelistic.
Describe your role within Living Hope. I work as a full time staff nurse in our small 22 bed hospital. I'm just like a regular nurse in the States except for now I work with HIV/TB patients who live in extreme poverty.
What is the biggest challenge? I find it's just as difficult to share Christ here in Africa as it was at home. Moving to Africa doesn't give you "magical" missionary power to bring people to Christ. So I'm still seeking, still praying and still waiting on the Lord for those opportunities.
The biggest joy? I love seeing the results of getting a patient on HIV treatment. Once the anti-HIV medications start kicking in, it's amazing to watch people gain weight, see the color come back into their faces and watch strength come back into their limbs. They start to sit-up and eat, and smile at the people around them, and LAUGH and SING. And even more than their physical health improving, when they accept Christ, I see HOPE come back into their eyes. I've seen first hand how having Christ in a patient's life can transform their whole being. Patients that were once withdrawn, depresssed, angry and passive can change in a instant, being filled with joy, out-going and overflowing with love. It's beautiful to witness.
What has God shown you throughout your experience with Living Hope? That He is faithful. This is His ministry not mine. He is always at work, and I'm just choosing to join Him in it.
What advice do you have for people interested in long-term missions?
Pray, pray, pray, and then pray some more. Read all you can about missions and missionaries. Take a missions class. And then get ready. God is up to something big.
What’s your vision for the future of your department? Too see life and health restored both physically and spiritually to the people we serve.
