In addition to language barriers discussed in Part One of this post, refugees typically have low health literacy. The combination of low health literacy and English not being their first language can make for an incredibly hard scenario to navigate in the patient encounter. We use visual aids frequently, and repetition when we are talking about the treatment plan through our translators. Continue reading The Challenges of Cross Cultural Medicine: Part Two
If you are a student studying to be in the healthcare field or a current healthcare provider with the goal to work in a cross-cultural setting, this post is for you. Continue reading The Challenges of Cross Cultural Medicine: Part One
This post has been particularly hard for me to write. That is because I feel my words don’t do justice to the suffering that is happening to the Rohingya people group. Continue reading The urgent refugee crisis you probably haven’t heard about: The Rohingya
Hi, I am Rachel! I am the face behind the Vine & Venture Blog. I am a Primary Care Physician Assistant to Refugees, a Creative, and a Christian. Continue reading Friday Introduction and Why I Choose to Write
This weekend on our labor day trip out west, we picked up some delicious peaches in Palisade, CO. The peach guy also had dried lavender for sale. So, of course, we purchased a couple bunches of those too. All week long, I have been dreaming of what to do with the lavender. Continue reading A Birthday Treat – Honey Lavender + Cashew Milk Magic Latte
Born on the same day, but worlds away. Me to hospital lights and smiling American faces, you, to a Bhutanese family ready to flee.
You came out of your mother’s womb, straight onto her back because she had to run. The daughter of a protestor, you were carried away from your home after just a few days in the world.
The best resource I have found so far regarding the refugee crisis is a book called Seeking Refuge: on the Shores of the Global Refugee Crisis. It is especially helpful for Christians since it is written through an evangelical and biblical lens. The authors of the book are from World Relief and are experienced in serving the refugee community– they speak an urgent message to today’s Christians with biblical wisdom in regards to the current refugee crisis. Continue reading Jesus & Refugees
Like many of my 20 something-year-old friends, I have spent a good amount of the last decade of my life packing and unpacking boxes-aka moving ALL THE TIME. Let me prove it to you:
This summer, my husband and I are taking a flying hiatus. Instead of plane trips to other states, we are “staycationing” and road tripping in our current state of Colorado (not a bad place to stay, I’ll admit). We love flying and we love trips to see our family in Arkansas, but at the end of a recent busy season of traveling, we were exhausted. So, as a form of rest, we decided not to step foot on an airplane for the entire summer.
Continue reading An Airplane-Free Summer & Our Weekend in Crested Butte
A couple months ago, Heath and I decided to get away for a weekend to Lyons, Colorado for a mini vacation. We chose Lyons because it was a short trip, close to the mountains, and they have a tiny home hotel! Partly, it was a late valentine’s day trip, partly, I have a fascination with tiny homes, but mostly we wanted a “get away & get creative” weekend. Heath and I both have full-time jobs but we both are very passionate about creativity and have our own unique creative ventures & desires. Heath is a worship leader at our church and wants to dedicate more time to writing music. I also want to dedicate more time to writing (and one of the avenues is this blog!). Even though some weeks I may have up to 4 days off in a week, I still find it hard to devote significant chunks of time to writing or any creativity. It is very easy for me to get distracted by my weekly chores, some pile of clutter I want to go through, or meal planning and grocery shopping for the upcoming week. These are all good things, but the problem is.. that if I were to make a list of my weekly tasks and any extra to-dos, I could easily end up spending my whole weekend doing the tasks and put writing completely off. I think part of me believes a lie that creativity is not “important” or “responsible” but the truth is, it IS.
Continue reading Our Tiny Home Vacation & the Importance of Getting Away
