Penn Senior Hopes to Serve Overseas as a Nurse
by catherine elvy, staff writer
A University of Pennsylvania student was so touched by her parents’ missionary service in Kazakhstan that she is gearing up to follow in their footsteps.
During her childhood, Abby Burns ’19 watched her father and mother minister in culturally diverse Kazakhstan. Such experiences left a deep imprint upon the nursing major’s heart and ignited a fervor also to venture into mission fields. “It was an incredible opportunity,” said Burns. “It has shaped what I am thinking about and what I am passionate about long term.”
In particular, Burns wants to mobilize her practical training abroad, initially as a nurse, and possibly as a family or community health nurse practitioner. She is prayerfully considering ministerial options in the Middle East or Africa, just as an older sister is fulfilling a spiritual call in Indonesia.
Even with a front-row view of the hardships and sacrifices involved with missionary service, Burns notes she was inspired as she witnessed the intentional efforts of her parents and older siblings to live out their faith inside the former Soviet Union. “It was very formative,” said Burns. “Since an early age, I’ve wanted to do missions.”From 1993 to 2011, Dan and Catherine Burns lived in Kazakhstan, where about 70 percent of the population identifies as Muslim and about 24 percent as Christian. Dan Burns, who served overseas via the Evangelical Presbyterian Church’s World Outreach agency, now functions as the pastor of world missions on behalf of Second Presbyterian Church in Memphis, Tennessee.
As for Abby Burns, the rising senior has flourished in her faith walk since arriving at Penn, especially via the mentorship she received from Christian Union’s campus ministry.
Burns has served as an assistant Bible course leader and as a member of the student executive team with Christian Union.
“I’ve learned what Christian leadership looks like,” she said.
{tweetme}Christian Union ministry fellows have afforded Burns opportunities to posit probing queries about Christianity and life. They have been “accepting of any questions and concerns that I have processed,” said Burns.{/tweetme}
Like other students raised in Christian Homes, Burns has taken ownership of her faith since arriving on Penn’s secular campus. “College is definitely a time when I need to have the space to question my faith,” Burns said. While living abroad, it was “a lot easier to accept and live in a Christian community that felt perfect.”
Additionally, ministry fellows have provided insights to Burns about ways to reflect her faith as her influence increased with collegiate peers via her involvement with the West Philly Swingers Dance Troupe, which is part of Penn’s vibrant dance community. In addition, Burns is active with Penn’s Netter Center for Community Partnerships, where myriad duties include helping to coordinate volunteer placements for Penn undergrads at nearby Benjamin B. Comegys School.
“The kids at this school are incredible,” said Burns. “That has been one of the most impactful parts of my Penn experience.” Ministry Fellow Fuji Kim credited Burns for serving in neighboring communities. “She is actively missional in Philly and on campus,” said Kim. “She comes from a strong Gospel heritage.”
Kelly Schaaf, a Christian Union ministry fellow who holds a graduate degree in education from Penn, noted Burns has “grown in her abilities to seek and create powerful Christian communities on Penn’s campus.”
Burns wants to reflect her faith to friends who share her affinity for the social dance scene. “I love the fluidity and improvisation of swing dancing,” said Burns.
As for her current summer break, the rising senior is pursuing an externship with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis. During earlier breaks of her youth, Burns ventured with her family to Lebanon, Hungary, and Kazakhstan for missions-related endeavors. Part of Burns’ attraction to missionary service is rooted in her desire to be an agent of justice. “God calls us to fight for justice for those who are not [treated justly] by society,” said Burns. “I see the mission field as one way God can call us to fight for them.”
Through nursing, Burns will bring extra skill sets to distant mission fields. Hospitals provide “an environment where people are actively serving others,” she said. Burns want to minister through nursing both in the United States and abroad. “I want both to fight for the right to health care and continue to share my faith,” Burns said.
Tucker Else, Christian Union’s ministry director at Penn, noted that Burns has a “great heart for others and hopes to serve as the hands and feet of Christ.”
As she dreams of heading overseas, the rising senior plans to draw from the spiritual and practical training she has received on Penn’s world class campus.
“As a believer, I will live out my faith and serve God as a nurse,” Burns said.
