For Beth Bailey, Instructor of Nursing at Ancilla College, serving others is a part of who she is. Bailey recently returned from her second trip to La Gonave, Haiti in December. She traveled earlier in the year as well. Her background in nursing is an excellent fit to the needs of this impoverished nation.
“God has not called me to be successful. God has called me to be faithful.” -Mother Teresa
As Bailey reflected over her second trip to La Gonave she explained “this quote sums up so much of my thoughts and feelings about the trip. Haiti is a hard place to live. It is especially difficult to live on La Gonave, Haiti, a small island off the main island of Haiti. This is where several amazingly gifted people choose to serve the Lord. I consider it one of my greatest privileges in life to serve by their side, if even for a short time” explains Bailey.
Bailey became connected to this community through Janice Cotrone. Cotrone has spent much of her life devoted to serving the people of Haiti as a nurse and Bailey considers her a dear “friend and mentor.” La Gonave is full of hardships, and there are many obstacles to success including economic, governmental, and financial barriers.
Approximately 3 years ago, Cotrone felt God calling her to re-open the nursing school at Wesleyan Hospital on the island. Bailey explains, “It has been a very difficult task—but she has been faithful! On January 19th, 30 Haitian nursing students returned to start their second trimester of nursing school at the Wesleyan University of Haiti, School of Nursing.” This is where Bailey had the chance to get involved. Ancilla College received a generous grant from the Lilly Foundation that allowed the nursing department to complete a much needed upgrade to their nursing lab. Once the upgrade came to fruition, there were many supplies and pieces of nursing equipment that needed a new home. Bailey instantly thought of the Wesleyan school that Cotrone was re-establishing; she comments, “thanks to the great generosity of the Nursing Department Administration, the supplies were donated to the new Haitian nursing school.”
Bailey was able to help transport supplies to La Gonave as well as help with end-of-the-semester grading and the Christmas party for the nursing students. The party was a complete success. The students really enjoyed their time and Bailey explained that even though “the party was very simple by our [American] standards, fun was had by all!”
Bailey, as many international volunteers come to find out, discovered that she gained as much from the trip as those she served. She learned and experienced that possessions have nothing to do with happiness and that we should all aim for simplicity in our lives. She knows that ultimately she wants to be faithful rather than a success in this world just as Mother Teresa advises.
Bailey is extremely grateful to Ancilla College and the Poor Handmaids of Jesus Christ for their generous donations and support of her trips. She looks forward to many more opportunities to serve on La Gonave in the future.
