Sept. - Oct. Issue     bnf is a Compassion Ministry of WMU      Sept. 15, 2022

Stand F.I.R.M.

Faithful ~ Intentional ~ Relentless ~ Missional

You will not want to miss this great time of fellowship, worship, and educational opportunities. 

Register TODAY!

(Early Bird registration ends in 11 Days!)

October 21-23, 2022

WMU National Office

Birmingham, AL

Early Bird Registration before Sept. 26- $225

Registration after Sept. 26- $275 (no t-shirt included)

Student Registration- $100

Registration fees include all meals during the Summit.

Hotel information can be found on the registration page.

Bible Study Leader- Wanda Lee, RN, Emeritus WMU Executive Director

Worship Leaders- Sara & Joel Burkes

Educational Offerings:

Adverse Childhood Experiences

Effect of COVID on Nurses

Being F.I.T. for Service

Pre-Conference Offering: Mental Health First Aid

Click below to register:

Summit Registration

You are invited to stay after the Summit and join bnf and many partners as we host a free medical clinic at Iglesia Agape. This clinic includes medical screenings, educational offerings for adults, and a health fair for children. Many volunteers are needed. 

Items needed for the event are listed below. Please bring these items to the Summit or send them to the Summit with an attendee. 

           -Kleenex                                   -vitamins(children and adults)

         -Bandaids                         -anti septic hand wipes

         -gauze pads (2x2)            -coloring pencils 

         -water (8oz)                      -hard candy

         -Iburprofen                       -tooth brushes/tooth paste

Contact Charolette Wyckoff at charlottedunnwyckoff@gmail.com if you would like more information.

Our missionary focus this issue is missionary nurse, V.B.. She and her husband, B.B., serve in the Asian Pacific Rim region for the International Mission Board (IMB). Currently they are free to speak and write openly but that has not always been the case and this freedom could change at any time. For this reason, and to bring attention to the many missionaries, including healthcare missionaries, serving in dangerous and high security locations, we will protect her identity.

V.B. has been a nurse for 49 years. In 2009, after her youngest child had graduated from college, she and her husband, a pastor, left their careers in the states and answered God’s call to full-time missions. They ended up in Phnom Penh. V.B. worked in a mission hospital and helped build a new facility and staff from the ground up. This included training nurses, building the O.R., and X-Ray room. After six years they relocated to Thailand and worked with Cambodian migrant workers. During their 2 years in Thailand, V.B.’s work involved  public health activities and diagnosing and prescribing medicine for poor outcast people. 

B.B. and V.B. retired for three years and then returned to the field in 2019. They currently live in rural Cambodia. V.B. is doing volunteer advisory nursing. Her husband, B.B. is involved in pastor-related activities. He preaches openly each Sunday on Facebook and they are blessed to be able to preach and speak openly in public. B.B. also sends a monthly devotional titled “Gatecrashers, Inc.” via an email listserv.

Pray for V.B. and B.B. Thank God for their willingness to serve Him in their “golden years” of life. Pray for the people they are witnessing to, leading to Christ, and discipling. Pray for other Pacific Rim missionaries, many who are not able to speak or write openly.  

September - October Health Awareness

The Facts: Suicide is the 10^th leading cause of death in the United States (homicide ranks 16^th). It is the 2^nd leading cause of death for ages 10 to 34. The female nurse suicide rate in 2017-18 (pre pandemic) was 17.1 per 100,000 compared 8.6 per 100,000 for the total female population. Experts know this number has increased since the pandemic but specific data is not available. 

The Cause: While there is no single cause of suicide, all causes stem from a form of chronic stress. Chronic stress is defined as prolonged feelings of stress over months and years induced by persistent daily hassles, primary or secondary exposure to trauma, occupational/school stressors, and/or decreased or absent self-care or coping mechanisms.

Risk Factors:  History of mental health issues, prior suicide attempts, increase use of alcohol and/or drugs, available means (firearms, medications, etc.).

Suicide can be prevented. Below are 4 things to know about preventing suicide.

1.    Everyone can help prevent suicide: Mental health and suicide can be difficult to talk about – especially with work colleagues and friends – but your actions can make a difference. When you work closely or spend time with others, you may sense when something is wrong.  

2.  Know the warning signs: Changes in behavior, mood or even what they say may signal someone is at risk. Take these signs seriously. It could save a life.” Educate yourself on suicide by taking a course in suicide prevention and an intervention course such as QPR Training.

3.  Don’t be afraid to ask, “Are you OK?”, "Are you thinking about harming yourself?" If you’re concerned about a friend, family member, or co-worker, talk with them privately and listen without judgment. Encourage them to reach out to a mental health counselor and help them make that contact.

4.  If someone is in crisis, stay with them and get help: If you believe someone is at immediate risk of suicide, stay with them until you can get further help. Contact emergency services and/or the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline” at (800) 273-TALK (8255).

Other than skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common cancer among American women. Mammograms are the best way to find breast cancer early, when it is easier to treat and before it is big enough to feel or cause symptoms. Have you had your mammogram this year? Women aged 40 and older are eligible to receive a mammogram. Annual mammograms should start no later than age 50.  While you should talk with your doctor, you do not need a physician’s order for a screening mammogram. 

What Are the Symptoms of Breast Cancer?

There are different symptoms of breast cancer, and some people have no symptoms at all. Symptoms can include—

•  Any change in the size or the shape of the breast.
• Pain in any area of the breast.
• Nipple discharge other than breast milk (including blood).
•  A new lump in the breast or underarm.

If you have any signs that worry you, see your doctor right away.

What Are the Risk Factors?

Some uncontrollable risk factors that affect your chance of getting breast cancer include:

• Being a woman
• Being older. Most breast cancers are found in women 50 years old or older
• Inherited changes in your BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes.

There are controllable risk factors that increase your risk of breast cancer. You can do things to help lower your breast cancer risk.

• Keep a healthy weight and exercise regularly.
•  Don’t drink alcohol or limit the amount of alcohol you drink.
• If you are taking hormone replacement therapy or birth control pills, ask your doctor about the risks.
• Breastfeed your children, if possible.

Staying healthy throughout your life will lower your risk of developing cancer, and improve your chances of surviving cancer if it occurs.

“I have always wanted to be part of a book club.”

Maybe you have said that. Now is a great time to join the BNF Book Club “Page Turners”. The book club is a benefit of BNF membership and will increase fellowship among us and inspire us through Christian literature. 

Meeting on-line quarterly, we will rotate through mission biographies, historically accurate nursing novels, spiritual growth, and light medical fiction or memoirs.

Plan now to join the September 29^th “Page Turners” book club meeting. Missionary biography, “A Thousand Times Yes” by Wanna Ann Fort MD is our first book.

You can register online for the book club on line at www.baptistnursingfellowship/eventsopportunities

If you do not see BNF Book Club listed, refresh the page.

Compared to other professional nursing organizations, bnf operates on little more than pocket-change. Therefore, to move forward in growth and mission, we need to facilitate opportunities to improve financial income. Last year a commitment was made to develop a Patron Donor Program. This would enable bnf to seek financial support from organizations and donors who are willing to be benefactors long-term and on a regular basis. Taking steps forward a smaller scale Patron Program has been developed to off-set the cost of this year’s Summit. We all know how the expense of just about everything has risen. bnf is not immune. And so bnf needs to be creative and deliberate in our efforts to increase our revenue. 

Many giving opportunities are available. Consider being a “Friend” of bnf for $25.00 (as explained in prior Constant Contact messages). We realize many are on fixed incomes and don’t have a lot of extra. But one might consider forgoing a weekly outing to eat, or some other activity. I decided to give up Starbucks coffee for a month and give that money as a donation. If you desire to make a donation to another giving emphasis, there is a list of bnf funds and endowments on the website under “Donate”.  Each one of you, our members, are a valued part of bnf; and we depend on you to help where and when you can.  Please keep our Patron Donor Program in your prayers. And thank you so much for your generosity and support of bnf.