A word of encouragement

It is a season of visitors at the moment, and what a blessing it is to have folk come our way and take an interest in the work. 

I recently had the doctor who trained me as a GP come to visit, with his wife who is a nurse.  They sat in on a couple of my sessions at the health centre.  It is always a little scary to have people observing.  I wonder what they are going to make of some of the horrendous leg wounds I am treating.  I certainly would not be doing it in the UK.  There are legs I cannot save.  But the success stories keep me attempting what seems even to me impossible at times. 

I need not have worried about the visitors observing.  What an encouragement they were!  They were full of praise for the work we are doing and the nursing skills of the health promoter doing the dressings.  They made helpful suggestions.  They spoke highly of our work to others.  They spread joy and enthusiasm wherever they went and touched people with their kindness despite their lack of Spanish. 

I am so often too slow to speak up and say those words of encouragement, that “well done” or that “keep going.”  When others take the trouble to say those words to me it spurs me on and builds me up.  Let´s all make opportunities to be encouragers.