Page 9 - Fall 2017 Magazine

In June 2016, St. John earned her master’s in social work and began several advanced internships.
Today, St. John is a Hospice Social Worker for St. Joseph’s Medical Center through CHI Franciscan Health System in Tacoma, Washington, one of the top healthcare service providers in
the nation.
Every week, St. John visits various homes and health facilities with terminally ill patients, many of whom only have six months left to live. From offering proper healthcare advocacy, as well as assessing patients’ financial needs, she offers resources and emotional support to those who have been neglected due to their critical condition.
“There is never a day when I don’t love coming to work,” says St. John. “As a social worker, I’ll meet people in the worst situations that they can go through. Many of the families I see are going to lose someone they love. Some days are harder than others, but I know that God has brought me here to be a light to the people I meet.”
While St. John’s empathy and kindness have brought joy to many of her patients, she meets some people who face death with little hope of where they will spend eternity.
“For Christians, there is hope in death because we know that we will be in heaven with our Father,” says St. John. “However, some of the patients I see don’t have that hope. Fortunately, Providence not only prepared me for the world, academically, but also grew me spiritually. The Lord has given me opportunities to pray with my patients, and I truly believe that through having a solid Reformed Biblical foundation, God has equipped me and called me to serve and glorify Him through my work.”
As St. John continues to fulfill her calling, she remembers how Providence equipped her to care for others in ways she never expected.
“It seems like every step of the way, the Lord used my Providence education to help open doors for me,” states St. John. “I’m so happy I studied liberal arts because I was exposed to a variety of subjects. I became well-rounded, and I am now able to effectively relate to people and offer compassion to them no matter where they are in life.”
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