VOL. XIII, NO. 3
February 2008
Associate providing medical care in Jamaica
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By Mary Danhauer, OSUA
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iving in Jamaica has certainly broadened my horizons and helped me to sharpen my nursing skills. I have grown as a person and been touched in so many ways by the people I serve. My experience of God as a person has been my still point in the midst of Ursuline Associate Mary Danhauer, a nurse practitioner, sees suffering and extreme poverty. about 50 patients a day at the clinic in Maggotty, Jamaica. Left: I am in the last half of my third Mary and Rannie Simpson, the bus driver for the missionaries. year of service in Jamaica. I live at Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Maggotty, Saint Elizabeth. This area is the more rural and mountainous area, toward the middle of the island. The island is only 50 miles wide and 140 miles long, so it is a rather small island. But the roads are very curvy and pothole-filled, and the driving time is slow. I have mastered driving on the left side of the road in a right hand driving position. An elderly lady gave me the ultimate compliment, that I drove like a man! I work in the Holy Spirit Clinic at Maggotty on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. On Tuesday, I go to St. Croix Clinic in Santa Cruz, about a 20-minute drive. On Thursday, I go into the surrounding areas and do home visits. I have about 100 patients I see every other month at home. Most are homebound because of strokes, blindness, or amputations. Last year we had 7,000 patient visits at Maggotty, and 500 home visits for the year. We average about 50 patients a day at the clinic. I used to think that 25 was a bad day in the States! Continued on page 3
Ursuline Associates Celebrate 25 Years! Mark your calendars for the Ursuline Associates Jubilee Year July 19, 2008 ~ July 11, 2009
Celebrating Our Past, Present & Future! On July 19, we begin a year of celebration and inspiration to mark the 25th anniversary of the associate experience at Mount Saint Joseph. Sister Cheryl Clemons will be our keynote speaker. In the afternoon, we will review the associate experience through the eyes of our former directors. The plan for the entire year will be “unveiled,� and all will receive a special commemorative calendar to keep.
The jubilee year will conclude in July 2009 with author Mary-Cabrini Durkin as our featured speaker.
In the intervening months, we will explore together the partnership of Ursuline sisters and associates. We will look to the future through retreats, immersion experiences and gatherings focused on new ministries, new associates, and new paths to follow Angela as our model in listening to God in our daily lives. Watch for details in the May issue of Update!