One day I received an email from Sr. Margarita Hernandez (Leadership Team Member) asking me to write a reflection on my ministry, working as a nurse for Providence Elder Place Portland, Oregon, part of Providence St. Joseph Health System (PSJH). I accepted the invitation.
This picture reminds me of Mother Gamelin’s ministry during her lifetime, and this is the Legacy for the Sisters of Providence today. The photo says it all! Care for the sick, the homeless, the disabled persons, the child, the teenager, the elderly and for all creation. I love this picture! Looking at it gives me inspiration, enthusiasm, and a deep joy as I serve in my present ministries.
I have worked for Providence Elder Place since October 2010. At first, I worked directly with the patients/participants as a Register Nurse (RN) and that gave me joy. But a few years later the Director of Nursing became concerned about the three housing sites for Providence Elder Place, which involved the Residents’ Care Facilities and the Assisted Living Facility. There was need for a nurse at that time to oversee the housing sites where training would be needed for the med aides.
I was invited to take a new position as a Medication Quality Assurance Nurse because my supervisor thought it was a good fit for me. After some discernment I accepted the position.
The first year of overseeing the Medication Quality Assurance I was nervous because I was unsure about how to develop this new position. There was no previous information for me to use. I pondered: “How am I going to teach or train the med aides with no prepared information? I must start everything from the beginning.”
Thanks be to God my supervisor helped me with the initial process. I started to collect all the information that pertained to the medication or anything the med aides needed to know. Finally, I had enough information and material for training.
Following this the Housing sites had to make the big transition. Everything needed to be moved from paper documentation to electronic QMAR documentation.
I got involved with the planning. It took us two years to get QMAR in place because it was a brand-new system for all of us. My Job was to make out the workflow and to train the three housing staffs.
Besides QMAR I needed to organize the med rooms. I wanted to make sure the med rooms were clean with no expired medication. The medicine cups needed to have the residents’ photos with their names, date of birth, and room numbers for identification. I felt a real sense of accomplishment when this task was completed. And today the education process is going well. I have learned a lot in this position and even though I do not work directly with the patients/participants I am still involved with the elderly. I believe our Provident God has been with me.
In my ministry as a nurse educator, I have had a chance to travel to the different sites and have been able to get to know all the nurses. Through my encounters with them they have gotten to know me as a Sister of Providence. Now the supervisors from the various sites come to me with their questions. This has been meaningful for me because they now trust me and have confidence in me. Every day I thank God for guiding me to this ministry. Like Mother Joseph, “God has put a flame in my heart.”
Currently Providence Elder Place serves 1835 patients/participants. This ministry is life giving and fills me with joy and happiness. Through this ministry I have gained more confidence in myself and I am more aware of my gifts and abilities. I have become more compassionate with the med aides and want them to be successful in their jobs so they can provide loving care to the elderly and carry out the mission of PSJH: “As expressions of God’s healing love, witnessed through the ministry of Jesus, we are steadfast in serving all, especially those who are poor and vulnerable”.
In 2018 I received recognition for my work with Elder Place ministries and was given a Spirit of Mother Gamelin award. This was an honor for me. (Left)
Besides working in full time ministry at Providence Elder Place, I have gotten involved with a Vietnamese Parish at Our Lady of Lavang in Portland, Oregon. One of the reasons I volunteer at the Vietnamese parish is because I like to stay connected with my Vietnamese culture and traditions.
I think God has been playing little tricks on me at this time of my life. I have not wanted to teach because I have not seen teaching as a gift of mine. Then I became a nurse educator. Along with that, because I love the children and want to be with them, I have found myself teaching Sunday school. Presently there are 867 students who come to the parish Sunday classes.
The first three years, I taught Vietnamese Language to ninth grade Vietnamese students (These students were born in United States). I thought to myself, “I speak Vietnamese and can teach them how to speak Vietnamese. Even though I am not 100% fluent in the language: my purpose is to show them my care and love for them. I have encouraged them not to lose their culture and their identity. I said to them, “no matter what you do, how you look and act, your DNA is Vietnamese, and it is important not to lose your rich culture and your faith.”
This year I teach religion for eighth graders. I have 36 students and at their age it is not easy. I pray for them every day and ask the Holy Spirit to be with them guiding them and leading them in the way of Jesus. While praying for them I am reminded of Jesus praying to his Father: “Father, please keep them in your love and do not let them go astray.”
Besides the two ministries mentioned above sometimes I have helped with other things in the parish: making Vietnamese sandwiches for Sunday school and Vietnamese rice cakes for Lunar New Year/TET. We made 5,000 cakes this year (2024) to sell for the parishioners and for those who would like to buy them.
The end of last year (2023), I assisted a Vietnamese lady apply for Supplemental Security Income. She has lived in the United States for 12 years but never received anything from the government. She applied a couple times but was rejected because the person helping her did not fill out the form correctly. I offered to help her with the application. Thank God, this time she received assistance from the government. It was a joy for me to see the gratitude on her face.
Presently I serve on the Vocation Companion Committee for Mother Joseph Province to journey with those who are interested in religious life. I have also served on the Chapter planning committee for three years and one of the things I have enjoyed is helping to provide a prayerful environment with simple table decorations.
As I reflect on my ministry, I find out that I have a number of gifts and talents, not a lot of higher education, or many degrees, but most importantly, I will use the gifts God has given me to the best of my ability, and I will do all for the love of Jesus and to glorify God.
I love the song by Father John Foley SJ “Take, Lord, and Receive.” The line that speaks to me now is: “Give me only your love and your grace that is enough for me.” Yes Lord, your love and your grace are enough for me! “Providence of God. I love you with all my heart! Providence of God, I thank you for all!”