Lianne, Fay, and Jessica with Lewanika's new busI am a lucky woman. It is not often that teachers have the privilege of witnessing the goals of curriculum displayed in the work of former students. I’ve had the pleasure of being included in a trip to Zambia to visit Lianne Jones; Jessica Barker in Mongu, Western Province. All of our faculty would be so proud to see them living the concepts of humanism, community development, advocacy and caring. Their work with health care providers and nursing students will provide the grounding for future collaboration between UBCO students, faculty, Kelowna health care professionals, and Zambian health care professionals. They embody these concepts and in the doing, make us proud. They are true global citizens.
Fay giving out tattoos with a group of children at the orphanage Our time in Zambia seems like a series of snapshots:
- Smiling faces and hugs at the airport
- A herd of zebras on the way to Mongu
- A hospital too full, too many sick, not enough staff, training or equipment
- Faces of Zambian nurses, tired, overworked, but smiling
- A baby with obvious signs of HIV smiling in a cot on the paediatric ward
- Playing games with a hundred smiles at the orphanage
- The “hair standing” singing from student nurses
- Two young white Canadian women surrounded by Zambian friends and students
- A small premature baby surviving against odds
- The face of HIV on co-workers and client
- The sound of the animals in the game park
- A beautiful carmine bee catcher flashing
- The brave faces, both black and white who deliver health care and hope
- All of us, Jessica’s family (Mike and Diana), Gary O’Connor, Cam O’Connor, Bill Nelems, Jessica, Lianne and myself – laughing as we watch a sunset, lightning and a hippo in a game park...toasting our work and the work to follow
Zambia, you are beautiful and brave,
Fay Karp
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