As soon as I walked through the gate of St. Nicholas Home I felt welcomed, comfortable, and safe. From the start I knew that my experience here was going to be one to be remembered.
I arrived at the home with 7 other ladies who are my team for the month. I was excited to work and live with them at this location.
All the staff members are friendly and welcoming. As I walk down the halls, residents and staff say hi, ask how I am doing, and send a smile my way.
There are many departments to volunteer in and the staff has made sure we get the most exposure in as many departments as possible. They also took into consideration what our skills and passions are and placed us in the corresponding department. I came here to serve, and the staff has gone above and beyond to make sure I am in a department I enjoy. Honestly I would have done whatever they wanted me to.
Every morning I visited one of the senior residents, Aunty Margaret, to do physical therapy with her. I have my degree in sports medicine and have worked in a physical therapy clinic for the past 3 years. I told the staff this and they asked if I would be willing to visit one of their residents and help her because she was very stiff. I was beyond excited for this! I am in Malaysia and I am able to use my profession! What a blessing! And what a blessing it was to spend time with Aunty Margaret each morning. She is sweet, and has the best smile! Her caretakers sat in a few times and I was able to teach them some of the exercises I was doing with Aunty Margaret so they can continue them with her after I leave.
I also had the opportunity to work in the library labeling and organizing books. The librarian, Shukri, is very nice and made sure I had clear instruction and made himself available if I had any questions. I felt very comfortable approaching him, and he seems grateful for all the work that has been done.
(rows and rows of Braille books)
I worked in the Braille department and really enjoyed the people in the office. I was able to get to know them and I looked forward to my time with them. I copied English grammar exercises from a website and pasted them in word documents so in the future they can be turned into Braille. I was happy to help them with this project.
(My new friend I worked with in the Braille department)
The last department I worked in was DBMH (deaf, blind, and multi-handicap). I sat with the kids, played with them, sang songs with them, read to them, and helped them learn daily living activities. I also was able to help the physical therapist work on 2 of the kids. I was able to share my knowledge with her and give her some new exercises and stretches. I am glad I have been able to use my profession a number of times this month.
Going along with using my profession and sharing my knowledge and skills, I taught a CPR/First Aid class with 2 of my teammates to the staff. It was a success! I am very glad I was able to help so many people this month in the area of medicine, something I am passionate about.
(Rachel, one of our students, me, and Kristen)
The people I was blessed to work with and live with all month may have been physically blind, but they were not spiritually blind. Despite not being able to see the world around them, they were filled with so much joy! This joy comes from the Lord.
(Elizabeth greeted me every morning with a “Good morning Nikki!” and a smile. She has the joy of the Lord!)
This reminds me on the story of Jesus healing a man who was born blind. The Pharisees had a hard time believing that he had been healed so they threw him out. Jesus found the blind man and asked him if he believes in the Son of Man, and he did when Jesus told him that was he the Son of God. Jesus said, “For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind.” (John 9:39) The Pharisees were spiritually blind and did not believe Jesus was the Son of God and healed this man. The blind man said, “I was blind, but now I see!” (John 9:25b).
Jesus came to open our eyes in the spiritual. Even though some may be blind in the physical, they are not blind in the spiritual and in the end that is all that matters.
Open your eyes to what God has for you. Do not be blinded by the world. Ask God to open your eyes so that you will see the spiritual world around you.
