Well, friends (family? assorted readers?), life has been pretty busy! Everything is wonderful. As you probably know, I've been back on American soil for quite a while now. I'm not sure exactly where I left off, but I know I was still in Khulna, Bangladesh. I believe since I last wrote I had opportunities to run some clinics in the brothels of Mongla. I saw primarily young children, and made a number of house calls for women with "gyn" sort of complaints (fun :-P). i also designed a curriculum and taught a large group of local women who wanted to be trained as midwives. At our NGO headquarters we invited a number of women and had a pretty good turnout! Being able to train these women (thanks to my wonderful translator) was a highlight for me. Really increased my interest/passion for maternal-child public health improvement. After Bangladesh I traveled to Romania for a short while, and also got the chance to spend one day/night in Istanbul, Turkey (i must say, i did a superb job of finding myself a fabulous hotel!) and an unexpected glamorous excursion to Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates. I had time to do lots of sightseeing, shopping, eating out, and even went bowling and saw Spiderman 3 in a fabulously fancy cinema. I figured my way around the public transportation system and just got to soak in some sights in one of the world's greatest up-and-coming cities. While it's wonderful to be home and settled in, I do miss the adventurous lifestyle. I don't always enjoy traveling as a single woman in the Middle East/Muslim World alone (ha), but i can say without a shadow of a doubt that the positives have outweighed the negatives, exponentially.
I wish I could sit here at my desk and dictate this fabulous dissertation on all that I have seen and learned over the last few months. I simply don't believe whatever I come up with could really do it justice. I have never been more humbled. I have met the most extraordinary people, and have had the honor of living and working with them. I have experienced love beyond measure. I have learned what it means to love as Christ did, and I have come to a deeper understanding of the breadth of His love not only for me, but for every soul on Earth. I have seen death, i have seen life. I have seen despair, and i have seen hope. I have held the dying, and comforted the sick. I have seen healing, and experienced great recoveries. I have taught and imparted wisdom and knowledge; and I have been taught in return the greatest of life lessons. I have witnessed the impact one person can have if they possess a willing heart. I have been broken, i have been made stronger. I have never felt more weak and alone, and i have never felt closer to the heart of God. Never did I cry more tears, and never was my heart more full of joy. To my surprise, I discovered I was not as compassionate as i once thought, and was stretched and humbled in that area far beyond what I expected. I made friends that have become my family (my Egyptian brother Moody is coming to New York in November - I am soooo excited!!!!), and I have learned what it means to become a part of other cultures. I've walked inside the great Pyramids of Giza, I've climbed the trail Moses walked to the top of Mt. Sinai, I've walked among ancient ruins in eastern Europe, I've worked in a brothel with prostitutes (not as a prostitute, obviously!), I've survived a cyclone(!) by myself, I've been part of traditional Bengali festivals, I've seen the marvels of modern architecture in Dubai, I've spent Christmas with precious orphans and widows, I've stood along the Mediterranean Sea, the Red Sea, and the Bay of Bengal, I've admired the great mosques of Istanbul, and I've eating fresh fish straight from the docks in Alexandria. What a life changing experience. What an honor. What a beautiful and intricate world God has created. His hand is on everything. It's incredible. I promise.
The greatest honor has been the challenge and commission to bring hope, joy, and love to those who may have never experienced it before. To be with the destitute, the dying, the lost, the broken. To sit in slums and brothels and orphanages and embrace other children of God. To be a light in areas of darkness. As much as I'd like to think I have helped others experience the love of the Father, I feel at times that I am the one that received the most change. The greater blessings.
Where does all this leave me now? Feet firmly planted on Long Island, New York. I am currently working as an RN in the neonatology department of a nearby hospital. It's actually a perinatal service, which hosts the NICU, post-partum, well-baby nursery, antepartum, gynecology, and labor and delivery patients. It's an all-encompassing unit, so it's good to learn all the different areas. I love it. I never thought I could enjoy something so much and actually get PAID for it! I'm also working per-diem at a private Gastroenterology practice. Not the most glamorous of fields, but surprisingly interesting. Wonderful doctors to learn from. To round out the "working" part of my life, I'm still tutoring high school math and science, and babysitting for the same wonderful family i have been with for the past four years.
Next month I start classes again! I'll be taking Neurobiology, Immunology and Epidemiology of HIV/AIDS, and Psychopharmacology of Alcohol and Drug Abuse, via Harvard University. I didn't feel like now was the time to leave NY (will there ever be one? who knows!), but I was fortunate enough (thanks to state of the art technology!) to be able to do the courses through an excellent distance option. I'm part of the "on campus" class, and have all the same exams and deadlines and whatnot, I just get to watch/participate in lectures from home. I'm super excited. I'm considering taking International Political Economy, but I'm not sure I want to try to balance a full-time job and a full course load just yet. I'm also working on an exciting project involving writing grants and raising funds to open up a home for unwed mothers on Long Island. I've connected with a phenomenal woman who has a heart for these girls and the dream is just growing deeper in my heart! She is a tremendous blessing. And finally I'm teaching the "Friends" class again at church as part of the Missionettes program. I'm taking the 6th graders - a wonderful group of girls! Looking forward to some good times :) Oh, oh, oh! Also looking forward to working with one of my greatest mentors and supporting/working as part of the team of the new "Point Community Church" in Westbury! So, needless to say, lots of exciting things to keep me on my toes.
What's also exciting to me (and will probably cause most of you to roll your eyes...) is that I've started to handle all of my own finances. I was fortunate enough to have parents that financially supported me all through high school and 6 years of college - but now I've taken on my credit cards, phone bills, school tuition (!!!), spending money, soon-to-be-accrued new car expenses, and other various bills/expenses. It's so enlightening (i don't know if that's the exact word I'm looking for...) to finally feel like somewhat of a grown up! Yahoo!
Just taking each day at a time, but looking ahead to the strong possibility of completing post-baccalaureate requirements by next year and continuing on to medical school. I've been back and forth with wanting to be an ob/gyn and a pediatric cardiologist. However, the more i see, read, learn, observe and research, I am liking the idea of being a Family Practice Physician. Extensive scope of practice, better suited for maintaining a normal family life, etc... But that's really thinking too much ahead. Just a dream I thought I'd let you in on ;)
Alright, I believe your eyes must be drooping from reading all of this by now. My sincere thanks if you've actually read the entire thing! :) Time turn my attention back to the Yankee game, waiting for my man A-Rod to hit his 500th homerun! :) Woo hoooo.
Love and Blessings,
Nicole <3
Here are some pictures from Bangladesh. Hopefully I'll remember to post again soon and then I'll include some Romania snapshots. But for now, enjoy! <3
4 comments:
"I've worked in a brothel with prostitutes (not as a prostitute, obviously!)"
Nice see you haven't lost your sense of humor. I for one am glad to have you back in Long Island. I love he unwed mother project, that sounds like a really good thing.
Nicole -- I'm so proud of all thay you have accomplished and in so little time! Keep your sights for those in need and you will surely be blessed of the Lord.. Love you Aunt Ellen
Nicole, I LOVE it! I can't wait to one day travel the world with you.
And, you are absolutely stunning in that pink and yellow shalwar. You should wear it!
Sounds like you have a bit of a passion for what you do as well. :-) Keep on serving for the Lord.
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