Today (Wednesday) was super rewarding. It started yesterday.
I had been praying about what kinds of opportunities could be available for me
here in Dadeldhura… the best use of my gifts is probably not passing meds or
doing general ward/bedside nursing, though I will probably be doing some of
that when we are short staffed, etc… Doug and I brainstormed a little yesterday
about possible roles for me and ways that I could share god’s love and my
gifts, and best serve the people here. One common theme was bringing heart back
into the hospital. During the civil war, when the hospital lost all the TEAM
staff, they also lost some of the Christian service behaviors, as well. The
staff is very task focused and not patient focused, per se. Doug would like to
see me model and teach the staff and nurses here how to treat patients as
valuable people, and use compassion, love, and heart at work. I was pondering
that yesterday evening during some downtime and decided to go out and play
guitar on the porch to take a break. There were two little nepali boys outside
playing ball, and when I started to play and sing, they came to me and held
hands and watched. They were standing there soaking up praise and worship songs
without even realizing it. God’s word was being planted in their hearts while
his gift of music poured from me. That’s when it hit me… I need to play at the
hospital.
So today I took my guitar with me, and after rounds, I
played. First I sat out in the courtyard and just started playing and singing.
Pretty soon, 4 people turned into 8…then 10 or 12. All standing or sitting
perfectly still and listening. I sang and played 
every praise and worship song I could remember. I saw smiles and for the first time since I got here, the patients and visitors looked content and even happy. After a few songs outside, I went into the ward. While I was playing the adult ward, people were recording me on their cell phones. Then, as I moved to the pediatric ward, I could hear my voice and my guitar playing behind me. According to Kripa, they were using my songs as ringtones on their phones. Wow! The kids and the parents/grandparents seemed to really enjoy the performance and some of the folks from the adult ward wandered over to watch again. I could get used to performing with all eyes riveted on me. Haha. Seriously, though, it was amazing. They looked so entertained and were smiling and laughing (with me and not at me, I hope!)…
I am not great on a guitar but I
did my best and sang my heart out… about god’s love… and prayed the whole time
that it was sinking in. I moved through the whole hospital that way. I went to
labor and OB where they seemed to really love itI also went to the waiting
room to play for the people waiting to be seen. A very loud waiting room became
nearly silent except for my guitar and voice.
There were even a couple of
people trying to sing along on the more repetitive parts. I found something I
could contribute. Something that uses what god has gifted me with, and
something that as far as I know, no one has ever done for them before. I was
blessed more than they were.
My fingers are on fire from playing so much and it
even hurts to type- but it was so worth it!!
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