Spend a few minutes with one of our nurses in Uganda, and it doesn’t take long for one thing to become clear – behind their talent, skill, and expertise is a deep well of faith. Their belief keeps them hopeful on hard days and their spirits lifted on long nights.

Their stories of faithfulness as the fuel for their work will inspire hopefulness in your own heart! Read on to hear more from Esther, Solomon, and Daphine.

Esther Namalawa

Esther, a nurse in Uganda in the Kyangwali Refugee Settlement, starts her day with prayer, letting that moment of connection with God inform the rest of her day. As she starts checking in and triaging patients, it’s clear that her calm and efficient manner is both a product of her experience as a nurse and her faith.

Esther’s passion for nursing started when she tragically lost her sister. When Esther visited her sister at the hospital, she didn’t feel like her sister was receiving the care she deserved.

“I saw my sister struggling, but the nurses on duty that day completely ignored her,” Esther said. “That experience was imprinted on my heart, and I wanted to be there for people in their most vulnerable time of need.”

Now, Esther is exactly the kind of nurse her sister needed then. She’s beloved by her patients. And they’re beloved to her, too! Her favorite part of her job is getting to listen to their stories and hear what they really need to feel cared for.

“Patients become comfortable with us because we spend so much time with them,” Esther says, referencing the important role nurses play. “We’re able to know things that they sometimes fear disclosing to the clinician.”

Faith and a full heart

Her faith and her skill as a nurse have made her a valuable member of Medical Teams. Esther recalls a night not long ago when a frantic mother came in with her baby, who was convulsing. The attendants alongside her were very worried and thought the baby had died, but Esther quickly jumped into action. She gave the baby emergency treatment and called the ambulance to refer the baby to a higher-level hospital.

As she watched the ambulance pull away, she wondered if she would ever see the baby again. But then, a miracle happened, just one month later.

“I was preparing to leave the facility and go home when I heard a woman call out my name,” Esther explains. “To my surprise, it was the mother of the child I had helped a month ago! She then said, ‘Come see your baby! Your baby is here. The baby was fine and healthy!”

Experiences like these are what keep Esther coming back with a full heart. She also loves being a part of Medical Teams’ mission to improve the health of communities through education. She leads workshops and groups at both the clinic and in the community. She’s also going through higher levels of training herself!

Esther expresses her gratitude, saying, “I couldn’t have achieved this without working for Medical Teams.”

Solomon Ocweo

For Solomon, working in medicine is a family tradition. Both of his parents work in the field, and even when he was young, he knew he wanted to follow in their footsteps. Now, he’s a nurse in Uganda at the Rwenyewawa Health Center III.

He works far from where he grew up in northeast Uganda, and sometimes he misses home. But his passion, faith, and desire to help others keeps him motivated.

“It gets easier when I remind myself that nursing is a calling, and we as nurses are called to serve all over the world,” Solomon says. “I’m motivated every day because I restore hope to people. Knowing that I get to contribute to people’s lives when they’re in need is my biggest inspiration.”

Solomon’s faith, too, plays a big part in his hopefulness for his patients. He remembers one patient in particular. A mother came in with her six-year-old daughter at 3 a.m., terrified for her sick daughter.

“The mother looked hopeless and said she was thinking about just returning home to start preparing for the child’s burial,” Solomon says gravely. “In this moment, I felt like I was the only person who still had some faith…I told her I was going to watch over the child through the night, and I had faith she would be better by morning.”

Faith over fear

The mother returned home, distraught and exhausted. Despite a storm that knocked out the clinic’s power, Solomon stayed true to his word. He used his phone flashlight at times to monitor the young girl and his other patients throughout the night.

“I never slept at all, and I remember asking God to let my hand heal this child,” Solomon says.

When the girl’s mother returned the next morning, she was astounded and relieved to find her daughter recovering. The little girl’s vitals had improved thanks to Solomon’s care.

“The girl recovered completely,” Solomon says. “I was amazed by God’s faithfulness.”

Solomon’s work with Medical Teams has inspired resilience in him, as he treats the incredible and courageous people that come into his clinic every day. But being able to help them as they encounter challenges keeps him hopeful and motivated.

“The people we serve are very vulnerable,” he says. “The situations they go through are heartbreaking and sometimes hard. Being with Medical Teams has brought a lot of fulfillment to me.”

Daphine Twakire

Daphine, whose kind smile and warmth instantly put her patients at ease, knew she wanted to be a midwife from a young age. She went to nursing school, but her heart has always been in helping mothers welcome their babies into the world. She quickly knew midwifery was right for her.

That said, it was tragedy that put her on her path. When she was just 9 years old, a young woman in her village died after choosing to deliver with traditional birth attendants instead of in the hospital. Daphine remembers asking her mother at the time if there were people who could help mothers not die giving birth. Her mother explained midwifery, and that’s when Daphine knew what she was meant to do.

Now, Daphine is living her younger self’s dream of helping women deliver their babies safely. She’s a nurse in Uganda at the Kyangwali Refugee Settlement.

“When I run into the mothers I’ve helped deliver, they say, ‘Come see how your baby has grown!’ and this fills me with joy. I feel like I’ve made a big impact on someone’s life.”

Her faith helps her stay grounded and calm in moments of crisis at the clinic. Being a nurse in Uganda isn’t easy! When Daphine isn’t working, she often goes to the church near her house for quiet reflection and prayer.

“I’m a fan of prayer.” Daphine smiles peacefully, and says, “We stay near the church and when I’m not here, I usually go by the church to talk to God.”

Everyday miracles

Her faith also helps her stay hopeful for the mothers she cares for. One patient comes to mind when Daphine thinks of women she’s helped deliver. Daphine had been caring for this patient throughout her pregnancy, visiting her during regular check-ups and getting to know her.

One day, Daphine’s patient came in with heavy contractions that had been made worse by traditional medicinal herbs. Daphine was worried for both her patient and the baby. After a scan, it was revealed that the woman’s uterus had ruptured. She needed an emergency C-section and was rushed into surgery.

Daphine was terrified for the baby, in part because she couldn’t hear a fetal heartbeat. But then, to her joy, the baby was delivered alive and healthy! She remembers this story, and her faith, whenever she feels her hope dwindling.

“I tell myself God can still do miracles like He did for that mother. I always know God is there with me,” Daphine says.

She also says she’s grateful to be a part of an organization like Medical Teams that makes a lasting impact on people’s lives – but we’re saying prayers of thanksgiving for providers like her!

Faith-inspired nursing

Medical Teams was founded because of  — and is inspired daily by — by our faith and belief that every person is made in the image of God. That means that everyone we encounter is treated with loving, compassionate care. Being a person of faith isn’t a job requirement, and we never proselytize or refuse care on the basis of religion. Our highest aim is to love people as Jesus did — with a love that is inclusive, courageous, and healing.

We are blessed to have nurses like Esther, Solomon, and Daphine caring for our patients in Uganda. Our gratitude for all our nurses around the world, caring for people in their moments of crisis, can’t be overstated.

Read more about our faith and calling.

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Lauren Hobson
Copywriter & Editor