EMBRACE NEW OPPORTUNITIES

Dear friends, I hope 2023 ended as you were expecting and 2024 is already bringing new opportunities to your life. I hope you find the courage to try again when something doesn’t go your way this year, find passion for doing what you love, resilience in overcoming obstacles and always remember to be kind and compassionate to yourself and others.  

The last 3 months of 2023 I worked in different projects with my home church Cristo Liberador. I hosted a health seminar and had the opportunity to talk about different topics, such as: the important of vital signs, the anatomy of our body, first aid, physical health, and a healthy lifestyle. 

This was the first of many more seminars and workshops to come, because one of my main focuses is Health Education. I deeply believe it all stars with a proper education, and I am thrilled to use some my skills to educate people of all ages.

October and November were two busy months. I had the opportunity to coordinate community health activities with one of the community leaders of the neighborhood, Miss Anita. We hosted a medical brigade at the church. We welcomed doctors, nurses, nutritionists, and phycologists from “Patronato San Jose” A government foundation in charge of executing social programs capable of defending and restoring the rights of the most vulnerable population such as: children, pregnant women, seniors, and people with disabilities.

It was a blessing to have this foundation coming to help provide medical checkups to the vulnerable people of the neighborhood. I was able to talk with the leader of the brigade and tell him about what we are doing as a church to promote holistic health, He was interested in our work and said we can now also coordinate more medical brigades with the foundation whenever we need to. Unfortunately, this governmental foundation goes around a lot of Quito’s neighborhoods all year long, which means we most likely have them once or twice during the year. It is still a blessing and good resource we have from now on.

In November we worked on a “seed project” for and with the community of the church and the neighborhood where the church is located. A “seed projects” are small-scale projects that are carried out by the local church and demonstrate God's love towards the people of the community. It is designed to help the local church develop a vision of what God wants to do for and with them so that they can become independent under God's direction.

The church leaders decided they wanted to focus on educating people about the importance of cleaning the neighborhood, creating consciousness about climate change and how to properly take care of our home “earth”, which was given to us by God to take care of and not destroyed. Also to remind people how living in unsanitary conditions affects our physical health.

One weekend the leaders of the church, youth, children, and other people from the neighborhood came along to clean all the streets and sewers around the church. We placed nets in the sewers to prevent it from filling up with trash and plug due to the raining season. The youth group hand out trash bags with a card about the importance of taking care of our planet to each one of the houses around the church and talked to the owners about the love God and Cristo liberador Church, which I think was a unique opportunity to evangelize and invite others to join the many activities the church offers to the neighborhood.

In January of this year, I had the amazing opportunity to host a team of nursing students from Augustana University - Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The team stayed in the country for 21 days. It is always a fun and fulfilling experience to host this kind of teams, because it reminds me of how much I love nursing. Being surrounded by other nurses and soon to be nursers always fills my heart because I can witness other people’s talents, skills, love, patience and much more. I also feel like there’s a special bond we share as nurses when it comes to serve and care for our patients. 

This University has been coming to Ecuador to serve for the last 13 years. It was a privilege for me to be part of their team; work together and help build a communication bridge between two countries and multiple cultures.

In Quito we did clinicals at “Voz Andes Hospital”. Pop-up clinics at “Camp Hope” an orphanage and non-profit for children with special needs. They work on the comprehensive development of children, teenagers, young adults, and adults with severe and moderate disabilities, involving the community and their families in the process.

We also worked with “Casa mi Sueños”, A non-profit that creates projects that will provide opportunities for restoration, education, and empowerment to their beneficiaries. They support them with training, entrepreneurship development, job search, job placement and personal fulfillment.

I’ve worked with Casa mis sueños in the past, doing medical checkups in two juvenile detention centers, but this time we had the incredible opportunity to partner with another organization called “Coccinelle”. An Ecuadorian LGBT collective created in 1997. It was the first organization of transgender people in the history of Ecuador and played a leading role during the process to achieve the decriminalization of homosexuality in Ecuador, campaign that achieved its objective on November 25, 1997.

During the 1990s, Ecuador was experiencing a time of mobilizations and demands by social and human rights groups, including young people, women, and indigenous people, in rejection of the rights violations committed during the government of former president León Febres Cordero. LGBT populations had been among the most affected by the abuses of the police, who used to detain, torture and in some cases murder LGBT people with impunity under the protection of the criminalization that existed at that time against homosexuality.

The team and I got to meet and serve some of the most wonderful yet most vulnerable people from the transgender community in Quito. We were able to give them care; through the different nursing assessments we did. Hear their stories, feel their warm hugs, and enjoy their smiles and laughs. We were able to be the hands and feet of Jesus and they were able to feel his love through us. 

What an eye-opening experience this was! It was a reminder of my call and God’s promise for his children. That one day there will be no division, no sorrow, no death. One day we will all be equal; we will rejoice in each other. One day we will truly love one another, not exceptions. 

After our time in Quito we went to the Jungle, there we partner with “Jungle kids for Christ.” We had a week of hard work. We did pop-up clinics in multiple communities and enjoy the beauty of the amazon region of Ecuador. 

After our work in the Jungle and for the first time ever, I was entrusted and given the chance to take the team to the Galapagos Islands; and let me tell you: It was amazing! I loved working as a host in the Galapagos, coordinating activities but also learning about God’s creation. I also took some time to enjoy life and admire its beauty. I will forever be grateful with God for giving me so many opportunities to serve, help and meet wonderful people and travel to breathtaking places on earth. 

“Every twist and turn in life is an opportunity to learn something new about yourself, your interest, your talents, and how to set and then achieve goals.”-Jameela Jamil'

Every new year surprises you with new opportunities, challenges you to overcome your fears, takes you out of your comfort zone and inspires you to become a better version of yourself.

Last year I embarked in a new adventure, afraid of what was going to happened and excited for the opportunities God was giving me. I truly enjoyed learning more about community development and working as the Community health evangelism coordinator for Youth World. I learned a lot and even though it was a short period of time I feel like I made a small positive impact in the lives of the people I got to encounter and through the many small projects I did last year.

Although last year was unbelievably amazing in so many ways. I was not using all my nursing knowledge and skills as you would have imagine. I was focusing more on community development and evangelism rather than clinical nursing. 

After months of praying, God made it very clear to me that I need to continue using my nursing skills and talents to provide clinical and holistic care for those in need. I feel I need to be Obedient with my call and embark in this new mission the Lord is calling me to. 

I am proud to share with you that I’ve officially been hired by Education Equals Hope to be their new “Nurse Coordinator of Health Initiatives.” 

All of you know how much E=H means to me. I have witnessed the impact that this program makes in the lives of many children and their families around the world. I was benefited by the scholarship that helped me become a Registered Nurse and now I have the opportunity to give back to E=H and pour into the lives of their children, families, and communities. 

I guess you must be wondering. What does this mean, right? As the new Nurse Coordinator of Health Initiatives, I will be working with E=H ministry sites to assess patients (e=h children and their families) plan and deliver nursing care, monitor outcomes, follow up patients care plan, educating and promoting health.

My care plan will be focusing on whole person health (body, mind, and spirit) Using a Holistic health approach to wellness that simultaneously addresses the physical, mental, emotional, social, and spiritual components of health. 

Similar to Faith community nurses. I am a registered nurse who practices holistic health for individuals and the community using nursing knowledge combined with spiritual care.

I am currently working with two E=H ministry sites. Dios es Amor Christian Church and Cristo liberador Episcopal Church. My priorities are the kids and families who belong to the scholarship program (E=H), but I also give nursing assessments to all the people who need it in the church and in the community. Which means I am doing health checkups to children, teenagers, young adults, adults, pregnant women, and seniors.

I started my first nursing assessments at Dios es Amor Christian church. We accommodated the old storage room and turned it into a “nurse/doctor’s office”. In this space I do head to toe checkups, education, follow ups and hand out vitamins, over the counter medicine, and naturopathic medicine. 

Often hospitals, coworkers, friends and even nurses undervalue and underestimate nurses and see them as dispensable and replaceable; but the truth is that nurses are the key to medical innovation, patient care quality and health transformation.

The scope of nursing practice is a combination of knowledge, judgment and skill that allows nurses to perform direct care giving and evaluate its impact, advocate for patients and for health, supervise and delegate to others, lead, manage, teach and so much more. I feel blessed to be able to promote nursing and encourage other Ecuadorian nurses to become leaders using their critical thinking skills and taking over big responsibilities that we wouldn’t normally do in our context because of fear. 

We have many parts in the body, and all these parts have different functions. In the same way though we are many, we are one body in union with Christ, and we are all joined to each other as different parts of one body. -Romans 12:4-8

We are many parts in the body, and we have different functions. Same when it comes to health, we have nurses, doctors, psychologist, nutritionists, surgeons, physical therapists, lab technicians, etc. We have different functions, but we are all joined to each other and need each other to be one body.

Yes, there are so many things I can do as a nurse but there are also many others I can’t. Recognizing your limitations and accepting them without feeling incapable and helpless, but rather looking at them as an opportunity to learn from others and appreciate other people’s talents and gifts is fundamental when you work in healthcare.

Some of my good doctor friends and psychologist have agreed to volunteer in their time off to help me with those particular cases I encounter that are out of my scope of practice. I am so thankful for their help, God given skills, their love and compassion; and I am also in awe of how God works in mysterious ways and moves us all (even non-believers) to team up and help those in need. 

In case you were wondering, I continue working as a self fundraised Local Missionary Nurse for Education Equals Hope, which means I continue raising funds to have a salary. Please remember, your prayers and financial support are greatly appreciate it. Specially now that I am working more with medical assessments and  need to have a storage of health supplies and medicine to help patients with their needs. 

I am also actively looking for a part time job as a hospital nurse. Everyday I realize there's still a lot I need to learn and a lot I want to achieve in my personal and professional life. I want to have more clinical experience and eventually go back to school for my Masters. Being a nurse requires practice, which means the more I study and work in the medical world, the more I get to learn and the more I can do to help the people who come to me looking for help. 

Yes, I have passion for what I do and I love working as a missionary nurse but I want to give my best to the people I am serving, because they deserve the best care. Even though it is hard to get a job as hospital nurse in Ecuador right now I will continue fighting and praying to become the Nurse I am meant to be.

“Every day is a new opportunity to make a difference in the world, seize it with enthusiasm and passion.”

                                                                                                                                                     -Unknown

I am excited about this new season and can’t wait to see where it takes me. I continue praying it will make a positive impact in the life of all the children, teens, adults, and seniors I am serving. 

Thank you for being part of this crazy journey of mine. If you are reading this THANK YOU! You are a blessing in my life and in the lives of those I serve. May God bless you always! 

 

SOMETHING YOU CAN PRAY

Please pray for my mental, physical, and spiritual health.

Please pray for my new ministry, that will be of blessing in the lives of those I am serving.

Please pray for my family, church family and family by choice.

Please pray for all my supporters and friends who make it possible for me to continue serving.

Please pray for Education Equals Hope, their staff, and projects.

Please pray for Ecuador, for its government and leaders. For the vulnerable and voiceless, that God may bring justice to those who have suffered injustice.