The global connections of NCFI stretch far. These two brief narratives offer glimpses into the ministry's outreach into nurses' lives, outreach that then extends to those individuals these nurses care for and work with.
Camilla Kaltoft
Nursing Student, University College, Lillebaelt, DenmarkNCFI Next Generation Representative in Europe
AN ESSENTIAL VITAMIN INJECTION
As our bodies need vitamins to work efficiently, I need the knowledge, passion, support, and commitment from Jesus-following nurses to grow as a Christian nurse in a secular society. For me, Nurses Christian Fellowship International (NCFI) acts as an essential vitamin injection in my nursing study.
I am a nursing student in Denmark and serve as the Next Generation (NG) Representative in Europe. NG is NCFI's branch for nursing students and early career nurses; its aim is to create a network through which we can support each other in living out our faith in professional nursing practice. We meet online monthly to share and pray. This meeting has been a blessing to me.
A friend from the United States first introduced me to NCFI. He encouraged me to attend the 2016 International Congress in the Philippines. The conference opened my eyes to the connection between being a Christian and being a professional nurse. Since then, NCFI has played a key role in my life. It is amazing to be in touch with Christian nurses, specializing in different fields and with different cultural backgrounds, for coaching and guidance. I appreciate that, especially when I'm facing ethical dilemmas or when my faith leads me to conclusions that differ from my classmates or colleagues. The NCFI conversations equip me to dialogue professionally and to stand firm on my values during class discussions.
Another gift of being a part of NCFI is that I am inspired and encouraged to serve God by serving patients, relatives, and colleagues. This is the essence of the vitamin injection for me, and I hope that nurses worldwide will continue to engage with NCFI. We would love to welcome you!
Dennis Opare
FLT/SGT. Vice President, NCF Ghana. Accra, Ghana
LEADER IN THE MAKING: NOT MY DREAM
I am a flight sergeant, working as a military nurse at the 37th Military Hospital in Accra, Ghana. I also am the vice president of Nurses Christian Fellowship (NCF) in Ghana, serving on various planning committees of the national fellowship. Regionally, I am assistant secretary of the Regional Committee and globally, I am on the planning committee for the NCFI 2020 Congress.
It was not my dream to become a nurse, as I perceived nursing to be very tedious and difficult, even though nurses in my village were highly respected. However, when faced with a real life situation, everything changed. My mother sustained severe burns in January 2006, when a pot of hot soup poured on her in the marketplace. My passion for nursing care emanated from the 3 months of care my mother received in the local community health center. The joy I felt caring for my mother has always been paramount in my care for patients. My zeal to care for people, especially the physically and emotionally challenged, motivated me to initiate a project called Save a Life, Win a Soul, when I worked as the regional chairperson in NCF.
I became familiar with NCFI while a student nurse and when the then-vice president of NCFI visited Ghana in 2014 for a training program. In 2016, I attended the NCFI International Congress in the Philippines. In NCFI, I have friends and am able to network with the wonderful family of Christian nurses across the globe.
NCFI has helped shape my personal and professional life, as I've attended seminars and workshops and through this, my confidence has increased. Through the International Institute of Christian Nursing courses, specifically The Art and Science of Spiritual Care and the Saline Process program, NCFI has provided me with leadership training, and I have gained insight into my work as a Christian nurse.