Day 2

Although I am with Americans (Team Helene consists of 8 gringos), it doesn't take long to realize where I am. All I have to do is step outside and catch a gorgeous sunset, check out the crystal clear water, or simply look at my computer screen and watch bugs crawl by. Only a screen separates my window from the outside, so I constantly hear kids playing, people worshipping in the church directly in front of my window, and/or roosters crowing with a gutteral noise. We get fun storms - in fact, I got poured on while I was snorkeling yesterday. The people here are extremely poor, living on little to nothing. Again, God helps me to put my life into perspective and realize how important relationships are above all.

It was a good first day at the clinic, including lots of viral colds, pulling out a small stone wedged into a girls' foot, and well baby checks. The children are sooo adorable. The nurses I am working with, Alisa and Dierdre, are incredibly patient, good at explaining things, and fun to work with. They joke that they're practicioners, pharmacists, and nurses all at the same time. And it's true - they truly run the show of assessing, diagnosing, prescribing and treating. I'm already learning a lot. I still haven't heard whether I've passed the NCLEX or not (great job on spelling). I'm not nervous...yet.

Sometimes I feel in over my head. I'm still very un-confident in my knowledge and ability to be a nurse, which makes it quite difficult when I'm given a patient and told to actually diagnose him or her. I'm holding fast to, Psalm 138:8,

"The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your love, O LORD, endures forever - do not abandon the works of your hands." (NIV)
or
"The LORD will accomplish what concerns me; Your lovingkindness, O LORD, is everlasting; Do not forsake the works of Your hands." (NASB)