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I trust that this letter finds you in good health and enjoying the presence and guidance of
our great God. As I write this, the challenges that we face in health care seem only to be
multiplying. Nurses particularly are facing issues that call for new ways of thinking and
practicing. How do we achieve and maintain a wise and renewing balance between work
and family, personal and professional ambitions, in the midst of constant crises and
pressures? How do we maintain a sense of direction where well-developed strategies and
plans become useless in the face of rapid change? How can we be empowered and
empower others with confidence and competence in an age where core values, ethics and
principles are being compromised? Add to all of this, our nurse colleagues in other
countries live in conditions that defy our imagination... war, terrorism, persecution, life
threatening illnesses, prejudice and lack of resources, financial and otherwise.
I sometimes wonder what God is telling me and what does He want me to do about all
this? How can I, as one individual survive and thrive amid tremendous change and yet
make a difference in my sphere of influence? The "right" answer would be to pray, trust
God, be obedient to His Word and live a life worthy of His calling. This resonates with
all of us as Christians, but I was challenged to the core when I read a poem that C.S.
Lewis wrote of himself:
Peace, reassurance, pleasure, are the goals that I seek,
I cannot crawl one inch outside my proper skin;
I talk of love -- a scholar's parrot may talk Greek!
But, self-imprisoned, always end where I begin. Am I like that parrot that talks Greek--I talk of love, prayer, forgiveness, and justice. I
stand against racism, ageism, hedonism, materialism and all the other 'isms', but have I
even controlled my own heart? The majority of time I spend thinking about myself, my
agenda, my plans and my life is unbelievable, so much so that there is little time or
energy left to think about the 6 billion needy people that live in our world. I quote from
Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller, a book I've just read: "Nothing is going to change in
the Congo (or anywhere else in the world) until you and I figure out what is wrong with
the person in the mirror." I am getting more and more convinced that God will use me
only if and when I acknowledge that the needs of others are more important than my
own.
So in the spirit of this confession, I ask you to think about how God can use you to help
your fellow colleagues around the world who serve Him in nursing in places where you
and I cannot even imagine.
- The African Region of NCFI is holding the next NCFI Conference in Jos, Nigeria
in September 2008 and needs much financial aid to put this event together.
- Christian nurses in Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka are desperate for fellowship
and encouragement by way of attending conferences or getting resources to help
them organize.
- Nurses in Eastern European countries lack leadership and mentoring because of
inadequate staff in the European region.
- Latin American nurses are holding their regional conference in Bogotá, Colombia
for the very first time in October 2007, and they are praying for resources for
many Christian nurses to attend.
- Nurses in the PACEA region are training leaders for the next generation. And so
the list goes on.
Could God move your heart to give towards these needs? Would you let Him move your
heart? We at NCFI would be so grateful, and God in heaven would be so pleased, if you
would partner with us in these efforts.
Thank you for giving to the Lord.... Many lives will be changed because you gave.
Thank you for your continued prayer support and your heartfelt interest in the work of
NCFI. We value this more than anything else. (See Prayer Guide for
specific requests.)
Kamalini Kumar
President, NCFI
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