Djibouti

Yesterday I met a family on furlough in the States for a month while they raise support and visit family and friends. This week they return to their home in Djibouti. I will not give their names because of the work they do there. They invited me to visit them in Djibouti. It is my hope that I will be able to do that after the completion of nursing school. I do not yet have direction for my two year commitment in Africa (mission agency or location), but there is still time.

My heart pounded with excitement to hear of their mission bringing aid, relief and the Gospel to the people. They have worked closely with medical professionals, though they are not medically trained. Many Somalians and Ethiopians live in the area and receive care from the missionaries' friends. There is a national problem of illegal and extreme female circumcision done without regard for the law or the rights of the girls. One of the missionaries' friends, who is a midwife, made it her mission spread awareness of this practice, to educate the girls about it, and to provide the best care possible for the ladies she helped with delivery of their first child following their circumcision.

Inspired by hearing of her work, for the first time, I am seriously considering midwifery school. I probably will not have time to do it, but I'm going to check into it this week. At a community group I visited last year, I met Christy, a nurse and midwife who served in the Philippines for a year and took short term trips medical trips to Africa. She has kindly offered to be a resource for me through the nursing school process and midwifery school research.

More info to come...