FEATURES
ntative n-
e in
ber of we all it’s a somewith at all.
nice people andwith bondthem withover themthis over this common on missions helps me develop as nice people and bond common Jennifer:Jennifer: Going Going on missions helps me develop as really like friends with my colother cola person so people many people cause. Icause. reallyI feel likefeelfriends with my other a person becausebecause seeing seeing so many in pov-in povand have Facebook from last mission. erty makes me appreciate I become leagues,leagues, and have Facebook friends friends from last mission. erty makes me appreciate what I what have.I Ihave. become They give reallymegive me a ofsense of global connection. that ofnone mychildren own children had such They really a sense global connection. gratefulgrateful that none my ofown had such conditions a young serious serious medicalmedical conditions at suchata such young age. age. XH: Through youryou work, are helping these chilXH: Through your work, are you helping these childrenHow a lot.doHow these children, turn, help you dren a lot. thesedochildren, in turn,inhelp you personally? developdevelop personally?
MEDICAL MEDICAL 2 2
Nikki Lavin, Nikki nurse Lavin,from nurseUSA from USA
bring
I realized I realized that nursing that nursing is, in some is, inaspects, some aspects, more immore importantportant than medicine. than medicine. NursingNursing takes over takeswhen over itwhen it comes comes to supporting to supporting patientspatients psychologically, psychologically, un- understanding derstanding them and theminteracting and interacting with them. with them. BeBecause ofcause the social of theinteraction, social interaction, I also find I also it more find itfun. more fun. XH: Why XH:did Why youdid choose you choose to join Operation to join Operation Smile? Smile?
large village o live
Nikki: INikki: chose Itochose join Operation to join Operation Smile first Smile because first because I I would get would to travel get tototravel manytocountries many countries and expose and myexpose myself to different self to different cultures.cultures. JoiningJoining these trips these also trips gives also gives me an incredible me an incredible satisfaction—the satisfaction—the satisfaction satisfaction that I that I made a made permanent a permanent change change in someone’s in someone’s life. life.
will
hav-
eceivgiven medie peoroving s here:
Smile e that
work chilchilment.
he first
many charwhere skills.
h meet
There really Thereisreally no way is no to describe way to describe that feeling that in feeling words. in words. More importantly, More importantly, however, however, I feel that I feel as someone that as someone from from a well-off a well-off country,country, I have Ia have morala obligation moral obligation to helpto help those inthose poverty. in poverty. If you are If you more arefortunate more fortunate than others, than others, Xiao Hua: XiaoHave Hua:you Have done youany done previous any previous missionsmissions with with it’s just it’s notjust morally not morally acceptable acceptable to sit around to sit around taking up taking up Operation Operation Smile before? Smile before? fat and space—you fat and space—you have to have help those to helpwho those really whoneed really it.need it. Nikki: Nikki: Yes, I Yes, have.I In have. fact,Inthis fact,is this my is11th my time 11th time XH: How XH:does How Operation does Operation Smile help Smile you help develop you develop as as joining joining Operation Operation Smile. Smile. Some Some of myof previmy previa person? a person? ous trips ous have trips included have included India, India, Haiti, Haiti, Honduras, Honduras, Bolivia,Bolivia, Ecuador, Ecuador, Peru, Peru, MexicoMexico and Zimbabwe and Zimbabwe Nikki: Nikki: The kids The that kids I treat that really I treatmake reallyme make feelme as if feel as if my work myiswork appreciated; is appreciated; you can’t youfind can’t thisfind sortthis of sort ap- of apXH: How XH:did How youdid firstyou come firstacross comethis across charity? this charity? preciation preciation anywhere anywhere else, and else,it’sand incredibly it’s incredibly special. special. Nikki: Nikki: This charity This charity is quiteis well-advertised quite well-advertised in the in the XH: What XH: do What youdofind youdifficult find difficult about your aboutwork? your work? USA, as USA, it isasanit American is an American foundedfounded charity,charity, and it and it does some doesexcellent some excellent public relations public relations work inwork the USA. in the USA. Nikki: Nikki: Sometimes, Sometimes, the cultural the cultural environment environment makes makes it difficult it difficult for meforto me carryto out carrymyoutwork, my work, XH: What XH:made Whatyou made decide you to decide become to become a nurse?a nurse? becausebecause differentdifferent culturescultures may not may always not always un- understandderstand what iswhat best is forbesttheforchildren the children medically medically Nikki: Nikki: Originally, Originally, I had Ithehad intention the intention of going of to going to speaking; speaking; therefore, therefore, I have Itohave adapt to to adapt different to different cul- culmedicalmedical school, school, but during but during my undergraduate my undergraduate years years tures and turesdifficult and difficult people, people, and that andcan thatbe can tough. be tough.
At the endfive of the in the hospital, allstuof the stuthe hardships these families are experiencing. At the end of the daysfive in days the hospital, all of the imagineimagine the hardships these families are experiencing. dents were incredibly worn out sheer by theamount sheer amount of students The students also become withofa the few of the The had alsohad become friends friends with a few dents were incredibly worn out by the of work had pastHowever, week. However, the students and parents, and although the students childrenchildren and parents, and although the students and and work they hadthey done thedone pastthe week. the students theworth work the worth the and effort, the experiences interacted onlydays, a fewthe days, the friendship childrenchildren interacted for onlyfora few friendship deemeddeemed the work effort, theand experiences and lessons they gained from tripinvaluable. were invaluable. that transcended boundaries as distance was onewas thatone transcended boundaries such assuch distance and lessons they gained from this tripthis were What wasfor novel CIS students the insights and language, and stemmed from and language, and stemmed from the factthe thatfact all that chil-all chilWhat was novel our for CISour students were thewere insights they had received regarding the poverty thatfamthese famdrenhappiness need happiness and laughter. of the studren need and laughter. As one As of one the stuthey had received regarding the poverty that these in. Although the students had read and studdents “I stated, shall feel always an eternal connection dents stated, shall“Ialways an feel eternal connection ilies liveilies in. live Although the students had read and studiedpoverty about poverty in in China in the classroom, many to didthe medical to the medical personnel and children I worked personnel and children I worked with with ied about in China the classroom, many did notany have any personal experience it. By listening to during Operation Smile; thanks this charity, during Operation Smile; thanks to this to charity, I can I can not have personal experience of it. Byoflistening to the accounts of the children’s regarding that helped I have helped a permanent now saynow thatsay I have make a make permanent change change the accounts of the children’s parents parents regarding their their of the living, the students were to connect in the these children. Notpeople many can people in athe lives of lives theseofchildren. Not many say can say way of way living, students were able to able connect on a on personal, levelthese withfamilies, these families, to they’ve had a permanent on someone had a permanent impact impact on someone else.” .else.” . personal, human human level with and tryand to trythey’ve ISSUE 7
Issue 7 Compilation.indd 73
XIAO HUA
73
5/3/13 5:11 PM