Conversations with Marie Claire Narcisse, RN
October 1, 2015-Claire R. Schoepp, Deaconess"Can you tell me about how you became a nurse?" This was the first time I remember asking Nurse Marie this question. It's one of my favorite things to know about a person -- what drove them to their passion -- so I was surprised that I hadn't yet asked. And it's so very revealing.Marie grew up in Haiti and always found herself helping people. Even as a little girl, she would step up and help more often than not. Her story of nursing began in Haiti where her God-mother was a nurse. She had an excellent example in her God-mother. But she also found her way there naturally -- always helping. She remembers once when she was a little girl and somebody had passed away, she went to the wake and helped. In Haiti, wakes are 7 days long. It's a lot of work. The ladies were very taken with her helping. Maybe someone said, "you should be a nurse."Parish Nursing seems to come so naturally to Marie. She came to this ministry through her work in a Methadone clinic in Chicago where she was working at the time of the 2010 earthquake that devastated Haiti. Marie wanted to go home before the earthquake, but was unable to. After the earthquake, Marie felt a sense of a better calling.(at this point in relaying her story, Marie received a phone call -- always helping)It was at this time that a friend called her up and said, "They're looking for a parish nurse." Without even knowing what that was, Marie said "ok."She knew, "God was calling me to do something different."What was interesting is that for Marie, the change wasn't a change in her clients. She continued to see the same clients that she had already been seeing in the clinic. The change was with new staff members. Marie is no stranger to navigating transition. And while she makes no claim to be a very religious person, she speaks beautifully about her faith:
"I believe that whatever I'm doing, I have to put God first . . . I'm not a very religious person. I believe."
I asked her about her memories of her time with us. She immediately, as the Parish Nurse that she is, said, "My clients," with a huge smile on her face.
"God always puts me in a place where I'm needed."
She loves her work. She especially loves her clients. Memories that she cherishes are those where she has seen changes in her clients over time. She has loved working with Elijah's Pantry and Community Dinners. She loves seeing the difference that these services can make. Whether her work is taking blood pressure, helping clean tables, or talking with someone who needs to talk, she loves it. She's always helping.And she's proud of her work. She's especially proud that she met two major goals for her clients. Now they have access to the Foot Doctor and a Dentist. Her clients don't usually go out in search of these much needed services and so she's glad to have been able to bring these services to her clients. "Even Pastor Erik came to the Foot Doctor," she giggled.I can't help but think of Jesus washing the feet of the disciples, waiting on them at the Last Supper, serving the meal. Her clients come in with feet that are bruised and smell or nails that need cutting. New, clean socks are given out. And in these seemingly small things, healing happens. She tells a story of a man who had very long toe nails who when he left St. Luke's said "I am able to walk now" on account of the care that Marie was able to secure for him and others like him.
"I'm probably not a conventional nurse, but this is what I love doing." - Marie Narcisse, RN
Marie has blessed us with her presence, advocacy for her clients, and desire for community. She wanted to leave us with a couple words of wisdom:
"Be kind to one another. Respect people. I don't care who they are, whatever your prejudices is, keep it to yourself."
We talked about this for a little while and what it means to her. I was again thinking of Jesus in the upper room washing feet. He had to tie a towel around his waist and get his own clothes out of the way. Getting stuff out of the way so service could be done, that's much of what Marie has done for us and her clients at St. Luke's.She's thankful for St. Luke's making her feel so welcome. "A big thank you!" and had some prophetic words to remind us to work together no matter divisions.
On Thursday, October 1, 2015, Claire Schoepp sat down and talked with Parish Nurse, Marie Narcisse, RN. As St. Luke's prepares to leave our historic home many of our programs and partnerships are undergoing significant changes. One such change is coming between St. Luke's and Advocate Health Care which, for the last two years, has partnered with us to provide services to Elijah's Pantry and Community Dinners through its faith community nursing program.The Advocate Health Care system has its roots in the ELCA and UCC, and partners with both denominations to provide quality care across the city of Chicago. Like all health care providers, they have been hit hard by the recession and the state budget crisis. At the end of October they will be concluding their partnership with St. Luke's and reassigning Nurse Marie to Uptown Community Health Center (M-Th) and then floating among the other parish nursing sites on Fridays. We'll be celebrating Marie's service among us in worship on Sunday, October 11th and afterwards over coffee and refreshments.