My Missionary Nurse Mentor

In 1980, I left the US a naive missionary, having had little overseas experience in missionary work or nursing. I spent the first year of my time at a big missionary hospital in Ferkessedougou, Ivory Coast, West Africa, in the north-central part of Ivory Coast.

I thank God for my months there. Had it not been for them, I would certainly not have made it as a missionary nurse working alone in a dispensary, playing doctor, you might say, with few other trained medical people anywhere for miles around. One of the main people involved in my training at that big hospital was Robin. She was a career missionary nurse whom I thought knew everything at that time. I felt as if I knew nothing.

In the providence of God, I have now been back in the States for almost 21 years. Robin has continued to serve the Lord in Ivory Coast, now Cote d'Ivoire through these many years. And last evening I had the opportunity to spend a few hours with her, catching up on what has been happening in her life since I last saw her three or four years ago, and reminiscing about things Ivorian.

Thanks for the visit, Robin. I loved having you.