Three students in the bachelor of science in nursing program at Penn State Mont Alto spent their spring break (March 7 to 12) working at the Mustard Seed Community Mission in Kingston, Jamaica.
Amy Deardorff, Saundra Sleighter Henry and Bonnie McMullen, all of Chambersburg, traveled to the Mustard Seed Mission, home to 300 abandoned children with numerous debilitating diseases. The Mont Alto students joined six other students from Penn State campuses in New Kensington, Fayette and Scranton. Cheryl Hettman, a nursing instructor at Penn State Fayette, traveled with the students, making her fourth trip to the Mustard Seed Community Mission.
According to Hettman, the students began their days at 4:30 a.m. and did not end until the evening. They got a sense of how people are cared for without most of the modern conveniences that Americans have come to rely on. Each student took one suitcase and one bin of medical supplies with them, and they collected extra donations to buy and ship more supplies to Jamiaca.
The students appreciated the opportunity to apply their medical knowledge, help others and learn about a different culture. All three Mont Alto students said the trip was a life-altering experience.
According to Deardorff, "Working with disabled children who are poverty-stricken and rejected was very hard. I expected to come back a changed person. The experiences I gained in Jamiaca will undoubtedly help me in my daily practice as a nurse in this area.ââ¬Â