Since July, Ms Lewis has been volunteering in a medical missions team, working in clinics as a birth attendant. She has experienced working in government hospitals, community clinics and outreaches into remote villages off Lake Victoria.

“One of the main challenges I've been confronted with is just the limited resources and professional help in the government hospitals here,” she said. She expressed some of the eye opening confrontations of working in a poverty-stricken nation.

“Due to poverty many woman can't use transport to get the help they need or even pay once they get there,” she said.

“Often in a ward it'll be my team and I –  a swarm of ‘eager-to-learn’ nursing students and no midwives until you track them down. They'll be stretched across large areas and too many patients to adequately care for them.”

“One day I was visiting a private hospital where only those that can pay go – there were so many empty beds and plenty of medical staff, meanwhile at a free health clinic where others from my school were, had been supporting a labouring mother who was in need of an emergency c-section.

“But because it was the only doctors day off and no emergency transport budget, there was nothing to be done but pray and provide the care they could.”  

Ms Lewis said she has had the privilege of running health care teachings and sharing her faith with people in red light districts, slums, churches and schools. She said child mortality is sadly a very normal thing for most families and often due to preventable things.

“Just the other day a mother shared how she'd lost her child due to diarrhoea – heart breaking!” she said.

“We've been able to teach on hand washing, how to find and store clean water, germs and even where to go to the toilet. These things might seem simple but it will help save lives.”  

Ms Lewis continues to share her love of Jesus with pregnant mothers and their families. “It is an adventure and such a privilege to love and care for these people. We couldn't do it without Jesus, my team and the beautiful Sapphire Coast,” she said.  

Ms Lewis said her studies are going well and continues to train on the job towards receiving an associates degree in maternity health.

“Study is going really well, it's a lot to balance it all all but I have wonderful, supportive staff and so we are continuing to train on the job.

“By the end I'll receive a qualification through University of the Nation's but it's not recognised in Australia.”

Ms Lewis hopes her qualification will gain recognition at an Australian University once she has returned.