Abstract
This reflective essay examines the experience of pursuing a nursing degree while living far from home as a Missionary Kid. It explores how the absence of close family ties during nursing school intensified feelings of loneliness, challenged motivation, and strained emotional well-being. Interwoven with personal narrative and supported by recent literature, the reflection highlights the way that community— through peers, mentors, and faculty— emerged as a vital source of resilience. The essay argues that resilience in nursing education is not the product of individual grit alone but grows from interdependence and the willingness to seek and receive support. Through recounting moments of struggle and connection, this piece highlights that a sense of belonging can be cultivated even at a distance and that such belonging is foundational to both personal and professional growth.
First Page
44
Last Page
48
Recommended Citation
Stamp, Julia Beth
(2025)
"Belonging Without Borders: A Missionary Kid Reflects on Nursing School,"
Wisdom & Compassion: The LUSON Journal: Vol. 3:
Iss.
1, Article 10.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.70623/LTIP3321
Available at:
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/wctlj/vol3/iss1/10
