As we look back through history, we come across women who demonstrated faith and courage. Their actions were based on convictions. Some are midwives, and some are nurses.
The first book of Exodus records the confrontation between Pharoah and two midwives. Shiprah and Puah did not carry out the Pharoah’s orders. They saved the lives of Hebrew babies. I wrote about these two midwives in a 2019 blog post (click here).
Raquel Levy served as a midwife for Jewish survivors of WWII that were refused entry into Palestine. She went to the refugee camps to attend the Holocaust survivors. You can read my review of her biography here.
Florence Nightingale supervised a hospital for soldiers during the Crimean War. She made sanitary conditions and nutrition a priority. She led the way for health care standards in hospitals.
Edith Cavell was a director of a nursing school. During WWI she treated soldiers on both sides of the conflict in Brussels. She held fast to her faith, even as she was escorted to her execution. You can read more about these two nurses here.
Each of these strong women is an inspiration.
Sharing this post with the Five Minute Friday writing community. Today’s prompt is: STRONG
I appreciate midwives! Mine is so precious to me! Thank you for serving all the women, babies and families you assisted through the years.
I’ve read and watched DVD’s on Florence Nightingale, but I had never heard of Raquel Levy or Edith Cavell. Thank you for highlighting their lives.
~Lisa, FMF #10
Interesting post. I had not known about Raquel Levy and Edith Cavell.
Thanks for sharing.
Visiting from #19
P.S. Is your novel (Alissa’s Letter) based on a true story?
The story is informed by my experience and knowledge of nurses and midwives. It also includes copper country history and some of my grandmother’s experience but it is fictional.
Thank you for sharing that information on the midwives and nurses during WWI and WWII. Inspiring post. From your FMF neighbor.