African town

the elective experience

Elise Jack shares her experience in South Africa

Elise Jack is a final year nursing student at the University of Birmingham

Having grown up in South Africa, I moved to England to start my nurse training in Birmingham when I was 19, and hence it wasn’t a huge surprise when my second-year elective location of choice was back to my roots. From a whole lot of uncertainty around where and when to go, to finances, accommodation and what to expect when I got there, I ended up having a wonderful grace-filled experience, with clear moments of God’s goodness evident throughout.

My first two weeks were spent at a rural village in Durban called LIV (Lungisisa Indlela Village), a Christian long-term foster care facility set up for orphans and vulnerable children, with a church, healthcare clinic, school, Early Learning Centre, and other facilities on site. One of my favourite things about my time here was the connections I made. The opportunity to speak to and learn from the children, staff workers and foster mothers was such a joy, as well as the patients that came through the doors of the clinic.

All short-term volunteers stayed together, which was a lovely way to get to know some other girls who had also come from the UK to volunteer. I had the joy of going with a friend and nursing coursemate from my university, volunteering together in the village clinic as well as the community clinic which provides care to the local township. From standard first aid and medication administration to wound care, I picked up skills from the clinic nurses and had some wonderful conversations with them regarding their life stories and experiences working in healthcare as Christians. A standout phrase a nurse said to me was, ’We aren’t just here to give medication — we are here to see, to notice, to be ears and shoulders for the community and where led, to pray for and with them’. What a refreshing moment it was to hear that — God is on the move even in small communities on the other side of the world and we as his people, the body of Christ, get to partner with him in bringing love and light to areas of darkness.

My time here gifted me with a greater understanding and appreciation for the social and holistic aspects that come with a caring profession. All the children in the village have experienced trauma of some sort, which raised so many questions as I grappled with injustice and suffering as well as the part we play in healing and restoration. The village aims to empower the foster mothers to affirm belonging and identity, which was a beautiful expression of the love of God. My time there was short and my impact small, but I am beyond grateful that I got to visit — to partner with others to answer the call of Jesus.

The subsequent two weeks were more clinical and saw me working five days a week at a small NGO clinic called Witkoppen Clinic in Fourways, Johannesburg — or ‘Jo’burg,’ the most populous city in South Africa — where I lived with an old school friend and did 8am — 4pm days. Composed of nurse practitioners, doctors, phlebotomists and healthcare assistants, this Clinic served the communities of northern Johannesburg, seeing over 5,000 patients a month and caring for more than 700 orphans and vulnerable children, most of whom live in impoverished conditions in Diepsloot, Lion Park and Msawawa. Most of my time was spent in their emergency room, where we took bloods, administered antibiotics and vaccinations, assisted with acute exacerbations of respiratory conditions and dealt with emergencies.

Within the landscape of Jo’burg, with its high levels of poverty and a privatised healthcare system serving a smaller, more affluent population, many patients we cared for came from underserved communities. Malnutrition was a common presentation, and most lived in the surrounding townships and informal settlements, some without running water and electricity. Therefore, the care required was not just limited to physical needs, but also emotional and social support. Many patients waited over eight hours before they got to where I was working, and so a kind word and a cup of water was often the most pressing need to be addressed. Seeing the inequality and struggles of a small clinic serving an oversubscribed population meant that resources were precious.

Despite the difficulties faced here, the hearts, resilience and attitudes of the staff were admirable. I spent an afternoon with the fundraising co-ordinator out in a local township at the mobile clinic and the community garden serving the community there. Also, working at the HIV clinic, in a country with one of the highest numbers of cases globally, gave me invaluable experience into the risks, testing process and treatment required. My time at Witkoppen Clinic is one of the most pivotal in my nurse training as I learnt under pressure in an environment different to what I had trained in.

When reflecting on my experience in South Africa, a verse I often think about is Romans 8:26. Many a day, I didn’t know what to pray with so much need around — the vulnerability of so many people, the physical and emotional pain people carried and the unfairness that comes with poverty, trauma and injustice. In these moments, Romans not only gave me a way to pray but caused me to persevere in my prayers. It says, ‘Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.’ (Romans 8:26, ESV) What a gift that we have the Holy Spirit, one who not only comes alongside and helps us in our weakness but also one who intercedes. Within the healthcare system, there are many a ’groaning’ moment: moments where words fail — ill patients, grieving loved ones, long days and difficult conversations — but we are never alone. There is a one who cares more deeply than we do — what a privilege. This is true even in the NHS, and so these words are something I still hold on to today.

As I close, my time in SA was one I look back very fondly on, filled with a lot of learning, uncomfortable at times, but oh so grace filled. The opportunity to rely on Jesus not just for my daily provision but for the words to pray for the people he loves are things I will carry with me. If you are looking to do an elective, I wholeheartedly recommend both of these locations as a place to volunteer time and to gain invaluable skills.