Educational Media Reviews Online

This relatively short, and well produced, documentary focuses on the work of Sister Manette Durand who is a nurse practitioner in the small town of Jonestown, Mississippi. Sister Manette and a small group of nuns came to provide health care and other support services to the predominantly poor African-American members of this community of fewer than 1800 people, whose median income is one third the national average. Through a number of clinic and home visits we get a detailed understanding of the health care and social issues paralleling many other poor communities around the country.

The clinic in Jonestown was constructed in 1962 and still carries the signs of segregation that existed then - double waiting rooms and bathrooms. Although race issues have greatly improved, people note that they still play a significant role within the community. Initially people expressed trepidation about why this group of white nuns came to their community. But it is easy to observe that that hesitation has passed. Sister Manette’s quotes and insights are probably the most meaningful in this documentary. She comments on the myriad of health issues here and how government bureaucracy has studied and determined the effectiveness of preventive health care services, but then does not provide funding for that type of service and many other cost effective measures in health care - in a sense abandoning major segments of our society. Despite her religious training, she perceives her role to be quite different than saving souls and her quote, “to help save bodies, so that souls can come alive” sheds great meaning on her work.