Landscape of Chekalini

Rosemary with her parents on the day of her First Vows, 1997

Daily work in the dispensary.

At Cedar House, Dublin, Ireland, with Pauline Campbell rscj, one of the foundresses of the province of Uganda – Kenya.

I am a nurse in Koromaiti dispensary, Chekalini parish, in the western part of Kenya. I am privileged to be with the poor in this area, being especially close to mothers, children who are sick, and to pregnant mothers. When they give birth to new born babies I experience life, by encouraging the mothers, especially when they are in labour pain. I feel I am close to Jesus as he touched people in their pain. That is the mystery of the good news of Jesus that I experience in my ministry.

I like being with sick people and when I treat them and they come back when they are feeling better, I rejoice with them as I see that our charism is at work through my ministry. The compassion of Jesus always reminds me in my service to try to be like Him who cared for the sick and fed the hungry. Many may think that being a nurse is only giving medicine and being around sick people but that is not so. I also care for the healthy ones by giving them support and advice. It is like being in a class teaching sometimes, especially when it comes to giving health talks to pregnant mothers.

My call to become a nurse grew in stages. When I was still in primary school, I had a dislocated collar bone and my mother treated me at home. Her care was so touching that it gave me joy, even though I was in pain. She told me it was like that in hospitals. Then, I would see nurses in their uniforms when I accompanied my mother to the clinic with the younger children and I admired them. I wasn't the only one. The sister I follow also became a nurse.

Sometimes it challenges me to see the poor suffering pain but I have found that being with them makes a difference in their life. They understand their poverty and they share freely the little they have. I have discovered that people do not only need money. Each one has different needs according to her situation. God loves the poor and he appreciates their giving, because they are generous in giving. Health ministry is demanding. One needs to be patient, to listen and share with people, as Jesus did. ‘Happy are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.’

There are many aspects of my work as a nurse that attract me. I am available for any job that involves caring for people, but especially those sick in hospital. I also enjoy teaching about health care, even to those who are healthy, because we all need healing in some way or other. Counseling skills, above all the ability to listen with compassion, are very important in nursing the sick.

Through this ministry I feel that I am carrying out my vow to consecrate myself to the service of education. Indeed, am fulfilling a service of education. My work is not just giving medicine but forming the person you are caring for to grow and to be healed. The relationship between nurse and patient is so important. You draw forth the patient's power to heal, to live; by the way you relate to and care for that patient.  Isn't that transformative education?

I love my service because it gives me hope in the people I work with. May God continue blessing this ministry as I render my service to the sick and may they continue to experience God's love through what I can do.