Like so many other things in America, we tend to take our educational resources for granted. I found out how truly blessed I am in this regard after two years of addressing chiropractors in South Africa.

I felt honored and a little nervous about being the only female and the only American invited to speak at the Millennium Congress in 2000. It was exciting to be invited back again in 2001, not only to address the more than one hundred chiropractors and students but also teach a two-day pediatrics seminar afterwards.

Some chiropractors travel long distances from neighboring countries such as Zimbabwe and Namibia to attend the annual Congress and expand their learning curve. I was fortunate to stay in touch with several doctors via e-mail after my first visit, discussing treatment protocols for newborns and young children, helping with feedback from my past 15 years of emphasizing chiropractic care for children of all ages.

Although our cultures and laws are different, South Africa has adopted many of America's policies and standards of care. Unfortunately, they have also succumbed to the medical pressures of using more drugs to treat more labeled dis-eases. The idea of economic gain at the expense of health is evident by the use of food additives, quick-fix surgical procedures, and instant pain relief with over-the-counter medicines.

Many chiropractors, attempting to boost their stature in the overall health care system, have adopted medical procedures in their offices. As with many of our American colleagues, often the diagnosis is not "vertebral subluxation" nor the adjustment the primary treatment.

There are currently approximately 200 D.C.s licensed to practice in South Africa including three in Namibia and four in Zimbabwe. The political changes during the last seven years have had many effects on the economy and job market.

Unfortunately, the South African currency -- the Rand -- continues to weaken and there appears to be what is termed a "brain drain" out of the country. The U.S. dollar was worth nine times more than the Rand when I was there last October. Few doctors choose to stay and practice after graduation when they can go to the United Kingdom or America and make more money and live in greater safety.

Part of the reason I love South Africa so much is the excitement and sense of heightened awareness that is necessary to stay on guard for dangers that are sometimes subtle and disguised. I feel more alive there.

Travel agents warn travelers about the risks of visiting all cities in Africa and South Africa is no exception. There are areas that are unsafe for travel even by car.

Recent reports say that a violent crime is committed every 10 minutes in Johannesburg. My friends there live in a beautiful neighborhood with nice homes, swimming pools and courtyards where they can't even take their dogs for a walk. Their windows and doors are gated with metal bars and video cameras provide security. This is common for a country where the poverty level and illiteracy rate is so high.

Whites are the minority with the most wealth and, therefore, constant targets for the needs of those less fortunate. The new government has not been able to change this yet and many predict it will take two generations to correct the wrongs done in the past.

In fact, the economy of Zimbabwe is so bad that the chiropractors and residents there are economic prisoners. They cannot afford to leave with their currency being worth nothing on the world market.

One friend I have made there is a female chiropractor who has run her office without fuel, water, plumbing or power and still kept her doors open to patients. I hope to help her obtain funds for a shelter for battered women and children that her community is trying to keep open during these hard times.

In the meantime, I have great respect for the chiropractors who choose to stay and serve their country. There are currently two chiropractic colleges with half of the new students enrolled being women. It was from many of these female students that I received the most appreciation and thanks for my visit.

These students are truly pioneers in their profession. They cannot afford the expensive equipment or textbooks that we have in our colleges due to the devaluing of their currency. The colleges are unable to pay instructors anything near to what they make elsewhere in the world. The chiropractic association cannot afford to pay high prices for noteworthy speakers, teachers and authors to share their knowledge with them.

One doctor told me that a few of the "big names" in our esteemed American chiropractic circle will only come to address their Congress if they get round trip first class airfare for themselves and their families and a nice sum to speak as well. Maybe that's why I was given such an enthusiastic welcome and appreciated as a speaker and teacher, because I paid my own way, and came because I wanted to.

I have always felt that God gave me a special gift by calling me into chiropractic and part of my service is to missions of all kinds. Whether it's helping take care of children living in shelters, volunteering at day care centers, working with children's and youth groups, speaking to PTAs, or going to another country to mentor and share my clinical experiences, it all seems the same to me.

I've enjoyed giving away some of what I've been given and feel the most rewarded in my profession when I see eyes light up with the revelation of new hope for a better and healthier life. Chiropractors in South Africa -- especially the young students -- are hungry for learning all they can to better serve their communities. I saw many eyes light up during my talks.

Both days of my pediatric seminar, doctors brought their challenging child patients with their parents to class. The 75 attendees gathered around as we worked on the children on pillows on the floor, watching as children's lives were turned on. While most chiropractors in South Africa are afraid to work on children because they've never developed the confidence, during these sessions, many of the D.C.s jumped in, offering their observations and talents, taking risks they never had before. I know that more children in that country are benefiting from chiropractic care now than before the seminar.

A lot of what I taught was just belief-building and faith in the power of the body to heal itself as long as there is no interference. The doctors were inspired to hear traditional chiropractic principles and philosophy.

Unlike the license renewal seminars I attend in this country, no one was looking for a way to leave early. Those doctors sat for four days all day into the evening and never complained. They asked dozens of questions, gobbled up all the information I brought (taking copies of everything they could), getting emotional when I donated books and pamphlets that they can't afford to buy. I encouraged them to set up workshops in individual doctors' offices and all chip in to buy the textbooks and videos they might need, helping each other learn.

I sensed a camaraderie and sense of community among the chiropractors in South Africa that I have never felt in America. There was not a dominance of the competitive, individualistic, egotistical attitude that seems to permeate our profession in this country. I didn't hear anyone claiming that "their technique was the best technique" or boasting about how many patients they see in a week. Doctors who had been in practice for 20 years were asking questions about what new things they could learn to improve their skills and their practices. I think the chiropractors in America can learn a lot from their humility, commitment, and willingness to continue learning how to better serve their patients.

As South Africa attempts to recover from centuries of oppression and put itself back together economically and politically, I am excited to know that chiropractic will be there to make a positive impact. I feel honored and proud to have been able to share a small part of my life with the doctors and students who want to improve people's lives during the transition. I have been blessed with many new relationships and friends that inspire me to continue my learning and growth as a chiropractor and teacher.

Although they feel that I have helped them, it is I who have been the recipient of the greatest gift. That gift is gratitude of how fortunate I am and how much I have to offer in serving. I have learned a lot about sharing my gifts with others and seeing the rewards in watching the mission of chiropractic continue to improve the quality of life on this planet. I look forward to returning to South Africa whenever I can.