Giving Thanks Friday Special: Thankful for those who give
Most Friday's (although I slacked off a bit throughout the summer) you will find me here with my "Giving Thanks Friday" post. Today I am not here with my usual list but am giving thanks indeed for a lovely local who is putting her skills and heart to good use by bringing hope and help to the wee babes of Rwanda. I am so pleased for you to meet Marcia here today:
Marcia finds needed peace away from work here with her horse at the ocean
As a
neonatal nurse in the Pacific NW I have come to realize that we have the
potential to save the most fragile and premature of lives. The technology afforded us can keep infants
of 24 weeks gestation alive until they are able to support themselves. Yet in other countries such as Africa infants
that are Jaundice are dying on a regular basis because of lack of education and
equipment. After working as a pediatric
nurse for 9 years I found myself working in a level II neonatal intensive care
unit for the last 7 years. Truly God has blessed me with this job!
In life, all
I ever really wanted to do was to try and make a difference. I was blessed as a single person to adopt 5
children, three with serious medical issues. Eventually I became a nurse and
then I was married and added a step son to the family. As we all know, when you are working hard to
make a positive impact on those around you by serving the Lord the devil always
tries to foil those plans. In 2008 I was
diagnosed with cancer. Over the years I have had 12 biopsies, 15 surgeries, and continue
to fight the rare cancer I’m inflicted with and will until the day the Lord
calls me home.
After being diagnosed with cancer it became all
too clear that each day is a gift and that the only thing we are promised is
the moment in which we are living. It
was then that I decided I wanted to go big or go home! So I have tried to make a difference in the
lives of each little one I touch here but I found my heart longing to help
those little ones that are underserved in Rwanda. 
Rwandan little ones
So the planning began. I contacted numerous medical companies and international Aid corporations and have been blessed with donations of medical equipment to the tune of $20,000 which I will be able to hand carry with me to Rwanda when I leave on October 10th, 2014. One of the tools I will be taking over to the NICU there is a much needed bilimeter. This meter is a noninvasive meter that will tell the nurses how jaundice a baby is and then allow them to start the necessary live-saving, yet simple, treatment of phototherapy. I am also going to teach NRP (Neonatal Resuscitation Program) to the nurses, helping them improve their life saving skills of compromised newborns, as well as working on improving their assessment skills.
Kibogora Hospital
With the
recent and spreading outbreak of Ebola in Africa I found myself seconding
guessing if I was making the right decision in going. After receiving an encouraging word from a
dear friend my decision was final! This
was God’s plan for my life! I have been
blessed with 6 more years of life than I ever thought I would have and truly
when the Lord wants to take you home He will. Until then I hope to carry on
trying to make a difference in the lives of others.
The
NICU in Kibogora is supposed to be a 7 bed unit but often has 21 infants they
are caring for at a time.
I would be
ever so appreciative of your prayers not only for traveling mercies but for
Gods light to shine through me as I have the privilege of meeting and caring
for the smallest most fragile children at Kibogora hospital in Rwanda.
This little
guys Jaundice was not recognized until he was 4 days of age. He is now in heaven singing with the angels.
May you and
your family have a blessed day,
~Marcia
Please join in me in praying for Marcia as she reaches out to the little ones of Rwanda and brings light to those around her. She is not traveling as part of a team but on her own (with God's help). It is a long journey to reach Rwanda with many, many hours in the air as well as stops in areas where Ebola is of concern. Pray for her protection, safety, health and peace as she truly serves as God's hands and feet to those in need.
Please join in me in praying for Marcia as she reaches out to the little ones of Rwanda and brings light to those around her. She is not traveling as part of a team but on her own (with God's help). It is a long journey to reach Rwanda with many, many hours in the air as well as stops in areas where Ebola is of concern. Pray for her protection, safety, health and peace as she truly serves as God's hands and feet to those in need.
Sweet triplet boys! Multiples
are very common in Rwanda.
Tags:
Giving Thanks
 you will find me here with my "Giving Thanks Friday" post....){kind=link}
7 comments
Thank you for introducing me to Marica! What a beautiful story. I want to just reach through the screen and hold those babies.
ReplyDeleteSuch a huge and tender heart! Praying God's blessings on Marcia. Thankful she is able to answer this call from Him.
ReplyDeleteGod bless you Marcia and thank you for your important work. What a wonderful way to use your gifts, skills, passions — there is nothing I like to see more than women (and men) doing just that! Godspeed, dear soul. x
ReplyDeleteWhat a precious heart Marcia has! I will certainly pray for her. Keep us posted on her trip! Thank you for sharing her story.
ReplyDeleteMarcia is an extraordinary person. I love that she her dedication and love for those babies has moved her to action. She, in turn, has moved others with the generosity of her spirit. She will be in my prayers.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for sharing her story, Mindy. Very inspiring!
Wow...it is right around the corner. I will pray diligently for you Marcia. Stay safe and embrace this extraordinary journey God has called YOU to explore. Blessings to you and I can't wait to hear all about it. Loves!! <3
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reaading your post
ReplyDelete