Im not ready to go home

Its crazy to think that last week I was so excited to go home and see my family and friends, but now as the trip has come to an end, I'm really not ready. Looking back over the month God has really opened doors and showed me how much more there is to life.

This past week especially has been beyond words. I worked in the emergency department and was able to perform skills I have not had a chance to use since skills lab, but the most rewarding part about being in the department was being able to talk with the families. A patient I worked with had been hit by a car, and is now intubated. His family came in to visit and just stood around him not doing anything. As they circled in and out of the room I walked up to one of the family members and explained to him that the patient can hear, he just does not have the ability to respond in any way. The man began to have tears in his eyes as he said thank you, and then he told me that he was the patients father. At that moment I really feel that I made a difference in a persons life. The nurses do not have time to talk with the families and explain these things, so once I explained that to the patients father, all the other family members came in and began talking to him and holding his hand. The next day I moved to the emergency ward, an overfill of the ICU, and found that my patient had been transferred. While waiting for visiting hours one of his family members approached me and wanted to say thank you again. I was just reminded how much of a difference it makes to work with families and to help support them as well while they wait for a loved one to recover.

Our evenings as a group were filled with dinners celebrating our time with the people and relationships that have been made. Monday we spent time with our host family as just a huge thank you for taking in 8 people. The next night we ate with Richard and Valerie, founders of WorldCOMP ministries. It was such a special night to hear the visions they have for future students, and for the future of the company. I am really looking forward to the day I can come back to Kenya and partner with them during their mega medical camps. Our last night we ate with the Sadara family. They blessed us with a wonderful African meal, tea, and Maasai blankets that each a have special message on the material.

The people I have meet this month are people I want to continue to build relationships with because they are people that are making a difference. I am looking forward to what the future holds, but for now I am going to continue to cherish these moments until my next adventure.