Wow! So much has happened in the last couple weeks...not in the climatic, earth-shattering sense, but in the gradual, sometimes monotonous, daily adjustments that happen as you familiarize oneself to a new world!
I feel I'm just now (somewhat) getting my bearings...let me offer you a few tidbits...
I feel I'm just now (somewhat) getting my bearings...let me offer you a few tidbits...
I have visited a couple churches now...
My first Sunday, I visited a small church (we're talking about thirty people) in the nearby village of Gulkana. I attended an additional evening service in this village, and in the full sense of the word, it was awesome! A visiting pastor said, "there seems to be an open heaven over this place." In many ways, I agree. First of all...the sky is HUGE. And truly, there seems to be many people here who are eager to pray, who are eager to see freedom where dark patterns that have held so many captive for so long. I really believe that God is moving in this community, in this region of Alaska, and I'm curious to see where I fit into this hunch...
After a couple of quiet days of settling in, was great to meet a couple people too! I met a handful of folks I work with, as well as an incredible native lady named Rose (who graduated from Talbot!) and a student from the Alaska Bible College named Cynthia who is excited about God's Word! I am excited to journey with Cynthia these next couple years! She has already been a great blessing! This past Sunday I visited the community chapel in town. There is a church out in another village (a ways away in village called Chistochina) that a fellow nurse (Millie) attends and I hope to visit there this next week. Millie mentioned that there is a need for help with some difficult children at this church, so I may end up helping with a Sunday school class?
Please pray with me as I consider which church I should connect myself with.
I really hope to have some role with children in the community/surrounding villages, and finding a church to help me with this would be a logical start! There is also the slight possibility of helping out with a basketball team for little kids in town? This could be interesting considering I only played for a short season in eighth grade! Pray for doors to open. I am thrilled about my role at the clinic and opportunities to know people and to share conversations through nursing, but after hearing just a couple stories about some of the challenges native children tend to face, my heart really hopes to have some role or opportunity to be a positive influence and a voice of love, particularly to children...
I have met many people now! Praise God, there are a handful of fun young people here! These new friends were an unexpected blessing and have already made my transition easier than I had anticipated! And I love the others I work with at the clinic! The nurses and my nursing director are wonderful! The providers have been great! Pray for team unity, that we would be able to embrace each other in grace as we work together in ministry.
The clinic...work has been great so far. I had a lot of fun practicing IVs and getting to know staff this past week! It has been strangely quiet though...so I haven't seen too many patients yet, but the slow pace so far has provided time I many not have had otherwise to learn some of the computer systems and duties. Every day is unpredictable! The week before I started was very busy...you just never know! Supposedly, we get a lot of patients with drug and alcohol related problems, but we might see anything from moose vs. auto accident, to miscarriage, to stroke, to seizures, to anything and everything! I will "wear many hats" as a nurse here. Sometimes I will be managing the phones, answering questions, providing advice, typical telephone triage stuff... Sometimes I will be helping to dispatch an ambulance team or call in a life flight crew. Sometimes I will be chasing down insurance companies, making patient appointments, and faxing paperwork. Sometimes I will be in charge of vaccinations, TB tests and vision screenings. I found out I really like giving TB tests! Sometimes I will be in the ER role, assessing and coordinating care with any urgent or emergent patients that come in the door! Pray for me as I continue to orient (I'm still matched with another nurse for a while as I learn), pray for good learning experiences!
It has been so beautiful here. So beautiful! It is full blown fall outside--leaves that can change are all yellow...the air is crisp and I wish I had a soccer ball... This past Sunday I was able to venture out a bit on my day off and was able to see Valdez down by the ocean (two hours away). It was a rainy, drippy day....but I still couldn't help ohhing and ahhing as I gazed out the window to see incredible, breath-taking beauty. I can't believe I live here. I hiked my first Alaska hike and saw my first Alaska bear on Sunday too! There were many moments when I said, "I like this Alaska place..." I'm hoping that winter will take it's sweet time...hard to believe, but I can already see my breath outside in the mornings and my sweaters are already being put to good use...while California is still sweating it out!
All in all, being here has been good and has felt right. Many days are just normal...filled somehow by figuring out budget fun, trying to cook, laundry & dreams of having a dog. God has been incredibly gracious and generous with good things as I have embarked upon this transition. As I mentioned before, I am excited and curious about what He is doing, why exactly I am here, and how these next couple years will unfold...
Please continue to pray for me.
Pray for me as I continue to meet people and to build up community. Pray for brothers.
Pray for me as I tackle the learning curve before me. Pray for me to have courage and confidence to work with and through the phone... Pray for patients (however twisted that may be).
Pray for diligence to read the Word and to use my time wisely. Thank you.
My first Sunday, I visited a small church (we're talking about thirty people) in the nearby village of Gulkana. I attended an additional evening service in this village, and in the full sense of the word, it was awesome! A visiting pastor said, "there seems to be an open heaven over this place." In many ways, I agree. First of all...the sky is HUGE. And truly, there seems to be many people here who are eager to pray, who are eager to see freedom where dark patterns that have held so many captive for so long. I really believe that God is moving in this community, in this region of Alaska, and I'm curious to see where I fit into this hunch...
After a couple of quiet days of settling in, was great to meet a couple people too! I met a handful of folks I work with, as well as an incredible native lady named Rose (who graduated from Talbot!) and a student from the Alaska Bible College named Cynthia who is excited about God's Word! I am excited to journey with Cynthia these next couple years! She has already been a great blessing! This past Sunday I visited the community chapel in town. There is a church out in another village (a ways away in village called Chistochina) that a fellow nurse (Millie) attends and I hope to visit there this next week. Millie mentioned that there is a need for help with some difficult children at this church, so I may end up helping with a Sunday school class?
Please pray with me as I consider which church I should connect myself with.
I really hope to have some role with children in the community/surrounding villages, and finding a church to help me with this would be a logical start! There is also the slight possibility of helping out with a basketball team for little kids in town? This could be interesting considering I only played for a short season in eighth grade! Pray for doors to open. I am thrilled about my role at the clinic and opportunities to know people and to share conversations through nursing, but after hearing just a couple stories about some of the challenges native children tend to face, my heart really hopes to have some role or opportunity to be a positive influence and a voice of love, particularly to children...
I have met many people now! Praise God, there are a handful of fun young people here! These new friends were an unexpected blessing and have already made my transition easier than I had anticipated! And I love the others I work with at the clinic! The nurses and my nursing director are wonderful! The providers have been great! Pray for team unity, that we would be able to embrace each other in grace as we work together in ministry.
The clinic...work has been great so far. I had a lot of fun practicing IVs and getting to know staff this past week! It has been strangely quiet though...so I haven't seen too many patients yet, but the slow pace so far has provided time I many not have had otherwise to learn some of the computer systems and duties. Every day is unpredictable! The week before I started was very busy...you just never know! Supposedly, we get a lot of patients with drug and alcohol related problems, but we might see anything from moose vs. auto accident, to miscarriage, to stroke, to seizures, to anything and everything! I will "wear many hats" as a nurse here. Sometimes I will be managing the phones, answering questions, providing advice, typical telephone triage stuff... Sometimes I will be helping to dispatch an ambulance team or call in a life flight crew. Sometimes I will be chasing down insurance companies, making patient appointments, and faxing paperwork. Sometimes I will be in charge of vaccinations, TB tests and vision screenings. I found out I really like giving TB tests! Sometimes I will be in the ER role, assessing and coordinating care with any urgent or emergent patients that come in the door! Pray for me as I continue to orient (I'm still matched with another nurse for a while as I learn), pray for good learning experiences!
It has been so beautiful here. So beautiful! It is full blown fall outside--leaves that can change are all yellow...the air is crisp and I wish I had a soccer ball... This past Sunday I was able to venture out a bit on my day off and was able to see Valdez down by the ocean (two hours away). It was a rainy, drippy day....but I still couldn't help ohhing and ahhing as I gazed out the window to see incredible, breath-taking beauty. I can't believe I live here. I hiked my first Alaska hike and saw my first Alaska bear on Sunday too! There were many moments when I said, "I like this Alaska place..." I'm hoping that winter will take it's sweet time...hard to believe, but I can already see my breath outside in the mornings and my sweaters are already being put to good use...while California is still sweating it out!
All in all, being here has been good and has felt right. Many days are just normal...filled somehow by figuring out budget fun, trying to cook, laundry & dreams of having a dog. God has been incredibly gracious and generous with good things as I have embarked upon this transition. As I mentioned before, I am excited and curious about what He is doing, why exactly I am here, and how these next couple years will unfold...
Please continue to pray for me.
Pray for me as I continue to meet people and to build up community. Pray for brothers.
Pray for me as I tackle the learning curve before me. Pray for me to have courage and confidence to work with and through the phone... Pray for patients (however twisted that may be).
Pray for diligence to read the Word and to use my time wisely. Thank you.
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