School Nurse Perspectives
Gerri Harvey, RN, MEd
Symphony of Prayers
"Let us assemble our individual secret prayers,
A little instrument into a Symphony of Prayers.
Then, symphonies will erect a concert of prayers with a world vision.
God's will is found in those prayers.
Such prayers are like small streams forming flowing rivers,
Gushing like majestic water falls.
Just as a spark creates a forest fire,
Just as a collection of small instruments form a grand orchestra,
Our prayers will reach God's ears as a beautiful symphony of prayers.
Let us tune our prayers into and join in the 'Symphony of Prayers'. "
Y.W. Kang
Prayer of Hope: After Columbine
Lord God, we are nurses,
People who have chosen to serve You
Through our work with children
As we absorb the pain
Of another senseless tragedy in which children have killed
And been killed
Help us to ask the right questions of ourselves.
We want to weep and ask, "Why isn't the world a better place?"
But help us instead to ask, "How can I make it better?"
Right now, so many are saying The Answer
Is more security in schools
Policemen in the hallways
Cameras in secret corners
To watch the children
Catch the children
Suspend the children
Banish the children
Punish the children
Control the children
And stop the children
From killing.
Indeed, some people will serve you Lord
By helping to Stop the Children
But as nurses, our mission is different.
Lord give us the strength
To serve the children
Know the children
Teach the children
Touch the children
Heal the children
Love the children.
Our hearts, our minds, our ears,
Our eyes, our voices, our hands
Are those of nurses.
May we hear silent cries for help
May we see when a parent needs support
May we gently guide
May we take a stand
May we touch with skilled and tender hand.
May we know the right thing to do
May our acts show understanding
May we teach respect and love
Through our example and our words.
May we advocate for peace
With our voices and our votes
Keeping our children safe
By saying yes at the right times
And being brave enough to say No.
Yes for the dollars before, not after
Yes for prevention before settlement money
Yes for programs for children
Yes to the kids who are different
Yes for arts and gentler things
Yes for more nurses in schools.
No to teasing and taunting
No to put-downs and hatred
No to "It's not my job"
No to bigger classes
No to violence as entertainment
No to guns as a sport and a right.
A very wise person has told us
That God works through people
And that vocation is faith and belief in action
We pray that our actions for children
Reflect our faith in You
And the faith You have placed in us.
Lord, make us, as nurses, instruments of Your work
For a better world
And let our prayers be instruments in the symphony
As we cry together
And pray together
For those whose hearts are breaking
With loss and fears...
With tears and pain for today
But with hope for tomorrow
Hope.
Help us to ask the right question
Not "Why isn't the world a better place?"
But "How can I make it better?"
Hope
For the children
For the children.
***************
Copyrighted Gerri Harvey
1999
