Becoming Culturally Competent...Or Not

Greetings from Senegal - the country of Teranga! I'm so grateful to be meeting with each of you again! Happy Senegalese Independence Day (April 4)!




Teranga = Hospitality. Senegal is known as the country of hospitality. Thank goodness all of the Senegalese people I have met embody the spirit of hospitality and invite me to join into their culture and country. Today is a day off from the hospital for me, so I was able to join in the Senegalese Independence Day celebrations. In 1960, Senegal declared its independence from France. There is a central plaza in Dakar (Place de l'Independence) that played host to a military parade this morning. The Senegalese president was a part of the celebration. While Senegal will likely never be my permanent home, it was a special thing to share in their festivities. I would be remiss to fail mentioning that the Senegalese futbol team secured their spot in the World Cup last week when they beat Egypt!






I am honored to work with and learn from our Senegalese "day crew." Our "day crew" come from all regions of Senegal, bringing their diverse backgrounds and languages to the ship. The ship partners with a group of around 100 Senegalese to ensure the we can care for our patients well and the ship functioning. I have been blown away by their kind welcome while I step our of my western mindset and into their world. 

My first week in the hospital I asked one of the women working with our ward what I needed to know about the culture here. She told me Senegal is the country of Teranga and the only thing that would be asked of me was to try and become a part of it. She assured me that they would be patient as long as I was willing to try to learn the language and ways. As I am starting my 8th week in Senegal, I look back on the time and see where she was absolutely correct. Between patient care times on the ward, there are language lessons. We watch futbol games together and play Uno with patients. We talk about what life looks like in the rest of Senegal, the landscape, seasons, religious backgrounds, family, and food. 

Most of my Senegalese colleagues came to Dakar for university. They either hold or are working on advanced degrees. Their English is flawless. However, their education is not what impresses me the most. Instead, it is the gentle way they comfort our patients as they translate for us. It is how they have graciously stepped into the western medical world without any medical background. Many travel for over an hour from their home to work 12 hours shifts on the ship and arrive with huge smiles. They walk onto the ward with the greeting progression:

"Salaam aleekum"  to which I answer "malekum salaam" (peace be unto you)
 "Na nga def" (nan-ga-def - how are you?) to which I answer "maa nga fi" (mag-ni-fi - I'm fine)


A few weeks ago, I prayed that the Lord would open my eyes to see my day crew colleagues as He sees them and allow me to love them as He does. My heart has been opened to my Senegalese brothers and sisters in a way I cannot begin to comprehend; only the Lord could have given me this capacity to love. Would you join me in prayer for my new friends as they enter into a month of fasting for Ramadan? Would you be praying that they would encounter the one true and living God as they engage in their prayers?

Prayer Requests:
  • Strength for the Senegalese brothers and sisters during Ramadan and that they would meet the true and living God during this time.
  • Healing for patients.
  • There is a large changeover of hospital staff in the next couple of weeks as nurses who arrived to Dakar with the ship return home and the next round of nurses arrive. Please be praying for smooth transitions. 

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