Have you ever found yourself in a moment where you thought, "How in the world did I get here? And what the heck is little old ME supposed to do in this situation??". Well, that was the exact thought running through my mind 3 years ago, as I helped a nurse deliver a baby in Senegal, West Africa. Back in 2010, I was given a full scholarship by The One World Foundation and The Global Health Fellows Program to be a public health delegate in Kaolack- a very small village about 5 hours outside of Dakar, the nation's capital. My job was to spend a summer serving as a much needed doctor's aide in a very underdeveloped and underrepresented medical clinic. My job description stated that I would be required to do some paperwork, perhaps sort a little medicine, and help the doctors where needed. You know...normal stuff. However, by the time I left Kaolack, I had assisted in 2 circumcisions, treated a few 2nd degree burn victims, learned how to put a patient on IV, assisted in numerous small surgeries, administered at least 150 vaccinations on my own, and, oh yeah, I helped deliver a baby!

I will never forget that day. A young woman, who looked no older than 19, waddled into the clinic on a very hot, very slow Wednesday afternoon. Earlier that day, one of the nurses told us that we might witness a birth. So, when the young woman arrived, I was very excited to see her. I had never witnessed a birth before, and it's always something that I've wanted to watch. And the fact that I was in Africa made it that much better. The nurse escorted the woman to a room in the back of the clinic. There was one bare, metal table in the middle of the large, poorly lit room. It had only one dirty window and some strange machine in the corner. The woman skeptically climbed onto the uninviting table and tensely waited as the nurse prepared for the birth. After only ten minutes, the nurse was sitting on the woman, straddling her chest, pushing down on her stomach, and instructing us to pull the baby out! Immediately, I reached for the woman's hand while trying to "catch" the baby! (Have you ever held the hand of a woman giving a natural birth? I wouldn't advise it.)

A few minutes later, after a bunch of chaos and pushing, a small little head popped out. We all assisted in pulling out the shoulders and *bloop!*, out popped a little human being. I remember standing there, shocked, and admittedly, a tad nauseous. However, it was the most amazing thing I'd ever done. I helped to successfully bring a child into this life. I will never take that experience for granted. And I can only hope that, as I continue my journey, traveling across the world, I am fortunate enough to have many more unexpected, yet amazing experiences like that one.