Inspire, Spring 2011

Connecting Nursing and Missions Rachel (Batchelder) Parrill ’97, M.S., RN Assistant Professor of Nursing Served at Cedarville Since 2005 Missions Committee Member, Southgate Baptist Church, Springfield, Ohio Rachel’s specialty is public health nursing. She is coordinating the Global Health Ministries track of the new Master of Science in Nursing program, which will begin this fall. Influenced by a model of health care that addresses both physical and spiritual needs, Rachel’s professional role dovetails well with her role on the missions committee at Southgate Baptist Church. “Public health nursing is concerned with whole populations, specifically at-risk populations,” she said, “and it is often within these population groups that missionaries serve.” Her formal training has taught her to think broadly about issues such as education and income, factors that often determine access to health care. She continued, “Public health nursing philosophy prompts the question, ‘How can I come beside you to create sustainable change?’” Missionaries ask the same question. Rachel appreciates the opportunity to serve her church body, and the experience challenges her to view the nursing profession through the lens of Scripture. She teaches her students to do the same. Caring for the Orphans Sharon (Klopfenstein) Christman ’92, Ph.D., RN Professor of Nursing Served at Cedarville Since 1995 Volunteer, Passion Center for Children, Malawi, Africa For the majority of the year, Sharon can be found in the classroom or in hospitals teaching research and medical-surgical classes to junior nursing students. In January, she left that behind for two weeks and boarded a plane bound for Zomba, Malawi, to care for orphans at the Passion Center for Children. Sharon first learned about the Passion Center through her church. When she heard that the orphanage had no health care ministry, she began collaborating with the organization’s directors to begin one. While in Malawi, Sharon led a seminar for the community on basic health care principles. “The first step in the process to improve the health of any community is to focus on preventing disease through hand-washing, finding clean drinking water, and providing adequate toilet facilities,” she said. “Even though these are things we take for granted in the United States, Malawians are not so fortunate.” Her seminar is a starting point for people to learn how to improve their health. Ultimately, the Passion Center wants to transform the community through faith in Jesus Christ. This fits with Sharon’s goal. “A believer’s first mission is to proclaim the Gospel to the lost,” she said. “Nursing is perhaps the profession that most resembles Christ’s ministry on earth.” In addition to her classroom lessons, Sharon hopes her students learn to use nursing as a ministry for Christ both in the United States and around the world. Cedarville University 11