Medical Team

After our introduction to Kampong Chum it was down to work.  Dr Wong and newly graduated Dr Sing Ling, her mother, Gem and I sorted through the boxes of drugs from a previous trip.  We needed to know what drugs we had, which were expired or about to expire, and make a list of what drugs we still needed. The visiting Australian Dr’s were bringing some drugs from Melbourne but others they would purchasing on their arrived in PP. Once we had sorted through our supply they were packed back into the boxes for easy transportation to the villages we would visit.

Two buses arrived, Tuesday just before lunch.  One with the Aussie doctors (who all happened to be of Asian descent) the other with a team of medical students from PP who would be the interpreters.

The following day we drove to one of two villages where the medical clinics were to be held.  The first was one hour out of Kampong Chum the second, two days later was closer.  In both rural village there where families who had offered us an area under their home to operate our clinics.  Locals of all ages and a variety of ailments were seated in rows waiting for us.  Tables were quickly set up for two triage doctors, two tables each with two doctors and their medical student interpreters, a table for our visiting acupuncturist and physio, an area for pharmacy and two tables for the pastor and his workers for those needing prayer.

Medicines in large plastic containers were arranged in the pharmaceutical area which was actually a slatted wooden bed, another of these beds was used by the acupuncturist and physio.  One of our workers labelled Ziploc bags for the various drugs and their recommended dosages prescribed by the doctors.  I assisted wherever needed, on one occasion counting multivitamin tablets into Ziploc bags.  I later used these discarded plastic containers after removing the labels by tightly screwing the lids back on and placed a large stone inside, (too big to be swallowed) which was a wonderful way to entertain the babies. It was explained to the mothers there were not drugs inside but a large stone.  I didn’t have to explain to the babies how to use it, they immediately settled down to explore their new toy.   I would have loved to have had a baby work shop to teach mothers a few basic health and hygiene tips as well as suggest a few easy to make toys from their environment but unfortunately there were not spare interpreters.

Once the medical team was set up there was a steady stream of patients moving from one table to the next, sitting patiently on plastic chairs after passing through triage till their turn to see the doctors. They then on to wait again for their prescriptions to be filled, often only vitamins but it also may include antibiotics for infection, eye cream for conjunctivitis and so on.  The last table was occupied by the local church workers who prayed with the patients and give those who could read, a copy of the Gospel story.

On one occasion some of the workers moved through the waiting patients asking if anyone wanted prayer.  At first few requested prayer, they preferred to wait for medication, but after observing God’s power of healing they were all interested.  It started when one woman came forward with pain in her arms and legs.  She received prayer for her arms and was asked if she still felt the pain.  She said no, but said she still didn’t believe God could heal her.   The believers asked if she wanted them to pray for her legs too.  She agreed as they were very painful.  After prayer she said the pain had completely gone but she still didn’t believe it was from God.  The team continued to pray for others.  Another lady was brought forward.  She was deaf in one ear.  Prayer was offered for her healing.  She started to proclaim she had hearing, just a little but she could hear muffled sounds.  This really stirred up the crowd.   Now they all wanted to be prayed for.  Even the lady who had previously been healed confessed she now believed it was God who was doing the healing.

While the medical team where busy attending to patients some of Joshua’s team, a few from Melb and some of the visiting Khmer team put on a show for the village children.  Games, magic tricks, and some general hygiene such as dental hygiene including giving out toothbrushes and toothpaste and washed children’s hair to treat for nits.

The first afternoon after our first clinic, Yu Jin and I went back to base camp as she needed to return to Takhmao.  Martin and Deborah came for lunch before taking her back.  She had enjoyed her break and her experience with the medical teams.  The teams returned late on both the medical outreach days, exhausted but excited with all their stories.

After breakfast on the second and fourth day all members of our teams returned to the villages where we followed up with some of the patients and those who had given their lives to Christ.  We split up into four teams so that every team had member from the church with us as well as the medical students who would act as our interpreters.  It was an amazing time.

We were told by our interpreters how many of the villages had spent a lot of money due to superstitions and rituals, some because of their illness others due to advice given.  For example how to receive ‘good luck’ yet after following this advice nothing had changed.  One family were told they had ‘bad luck’ because their house was not in the right position and so they would have to tear it down and rebuild it.  Now in Christ they were freed from these superstitions and told our interpreter they felt real peace at last.  Another man who we talked to after giving his life to Christ took us to his friend so he too could hear the good news.  Our interpreter asked if Sing Ning and I could share our testimonies of how we came to know Jesus.  I think the man was really touched as he too wanted to know more about God’s love for him and for all mankind.

The next family we visited, the mother and her son and daughter had attended the clinic yesterday and had received Christ.  Without any prompting she asked if we could cut of the red stringed amulet from around her wrist.  She no longer wanted to be tied to superstition and past beliefs.  But when asked about the spirit house/shrine in her home she said she couldn’t remove that because it was her husbands and he worshipped there every day.  Just at this moment her husband woke from his slumber.  He had been crashed out in the hammock under the house.  The church member with us spoke to him as we prayed.  It wasn’t long before he too asked to give his life to the Lord.

During these four days we saw many healing at both the medical out reaches and between the two different villages 217 villagers were treated and had the Gospel shared with them.  Out of these and from our follow up 177 prayed to accept Jesus as their saviour.  Discipleship is very important to the local pastor.  There is a 6 week discipleship for those who wish to know more about God’s love for them and from these a new church is planted in both villages.

While in the villages I was able to have a bit of a wonder around and explore.  There were the usual farm animals as well as a few from the wild.  I saw small farming plots of vegetables, rice paddies, pigs (one sow and piglets where right behind our pharmaceutical area), cattle, buffalo, chickens, ducks and of course dogs.  One of the homes which are quite primitive had a solar and TV antenna!

One afternoon we were taken by the local pastor to the village where he has a training centre.  His first disciple was the village gangster.  He had quite a story to tell of his life before Christ and after.  He now pastors the local church and give discipleship classes.  Most of his village are now believers because of the change they saw in him.  The training centre also offers sewing training to women and motorbike mechanics to the men.  The day we visited there was a graduation and sewing machines and tools for the mechanics where given to the graduates who would then pay off 50% through their earnings from their new trade.  The other 50% was paid for by Marlee.  Marlee was a Cambodian by birth but had escaped during the war to live with her grandmother in Vietnam and later arrived in Australia as a refugee.  She helped finance her medical school through sewing.  Marlee returns frequently to Cambodia and in particular Kampong Chum to assist the medical teams and support the training centre.  This training centre is also hoping to, in the future, be self-sufficient with their own fish ponds, gardens and animal husbandry.  Josh will also share his expertise in aquaponics which happens to be not only his hobby but is becoming his obsession.  LOL

Both medical teams left after a combined breakfast, Saturday 4^th April.  Before leaving I exchanged contact details with some, hoped to catch up with many of the medical students in PP when I return as well as the Aussie team when I next visit Melbourne.   It was suddenly quiet again.

On Easter Sunday, Gem and her daughter, Sing Ning, myself and Bear, as interpreter and guide, set off on a new adventure.  We headed further north, towards the Thai border, a gruelling eight hour, dusty, bumpy ride to Siem Reap, a tourist town close to Angkor Wat.  This time fortunately we had air conditioning.  In fact, after changing buses it was so cold we had to block the vents which were just a gaping hole.  This is where I lost my spare toilet roll!  Yes, I always carry toilet paper just in case!

We reached Siem Reap around 6pm and decided to dump our bags at the hotel and head out for a combined lunch/dinner at a well know buffet restaurant, to eat all we could for $12US.  We all enjoyed the spread of Khmer food both mains and desserts.  The meal was followed by traditional dancing and a photo with the dancers after the performances.

That night the others went to the night market while I went to bed to get an early night as we were to get up at 4:30am to watch the sunrise at Angkor.  I just happened to wake at 3:30am and couldn’t go back to sleep.  It was a long day for me as I didn’t get to bed till after 10pm that night.

Angkor wat is an amazing structure of old ruins.  Some of which has been rebuilt and some still in ruins due to the vast area it covers and the jungle which had just about engulfed it.  Tree roots were growing over the stone walls of many ruins.

We arrived in darkness with a stream of foreigners from all over the world as well as Khmer visiting from other provinces.  I squatted with the standing crowds around the lotus pond before the familiar towers so as to get the first light of dawn reflecting in the pond.  It seemed like ages before the first fingers of dawn etched her light across the sky.  This time of the year Cambodia seems to be cloaked in cloud, a misty hazy blanket that covered all.

The camera on my phone at first was unable to focus due to the lack of light, then it was on for one and all.  Cameras of all sizes and makes were clicking away taking advantage of the first light.  I didn’t think we would see the sun through the haze and wandered off to take some shots of the brilliant pink lotus flowers which grew out of the mire.  I looked up and wow!  The sun was brilliant red through the clouds.  But oh no! I was in the wrong position and by the time I had moved, so had the sun of course!  Still I did manage to get a few shots in before it disappeared again.  Than off to wander and pray around the ruins.

I took so many shots from different angles and some of the amazing stone carvings and beautiful trees, trunks and roots.  I met some lovely people too as I offered to take their photo’s with their friends or for those who had come alone.  One of these was a lady, Ying.  We exchanged pleasantries and when she told me she was visiting from Bangkok, I switched to speaking Thai.  Before parting we exchanged our email addresses so that I could catch up with her when I visited Thailand.

All in all it was a very interesting day and I did eventually get to see the night market as well.  Gem also showed me a restaurant where they served bugs.  Yes, it was called ‘Bug Café’ and offered western style meals served with scorpions, ants, crickets, silkworms and other bugs.  If you ordered a cocktail you also received a free spider! (not alive of course).  We decided we would pass on this experience.   Gem and I returned after 10pm but the younger generation came back at 3am!! Still they had 8hrs to sleep on the bus as we returned to Kampong Cham.  I think we were all relieved to return safely and exchange our stories with those left behind at Kampong Cham.

The following day and after a good night’s sleep we were heading back to PP.  The Malaysian team were to be dropped at the airport to return to KL and I was picked up by Martin and Deborah and taken back, via the supermarket, to my own little room in Takhmao.  It was good to be back and to catch up with Yu Jin, Martin and Deborah who invited me for dinner where I shared many of my stories and photos.

 

Pictures:   1. Lotus flower   2. Breakfast 3. Patients waiting 4. Dispensary     5. Triage     6. Doctors in action   7. Shampooing kids    8. Gospel table   9. Vegie garden   10. Team before leaving   11. Khmer dancers   12. Angkor at sunrise 13. Sunrise   14. Tree roots   15. Ruins     16. Carving    17. All things are possible for those who believe! (below)

Prayer & Praise Points:
Praise the Lord for all that He has done through the medical teams and the local believers.  For those He has brought to Himself and for those who will disciple them.

Praise Him for traveling mercies, our health the hospitality of Joshua’s staff as well as the villagers who permitted us to hold the clinics under these homes, for they opened their homes to strangers.

I praise the Lord for the experience and opportunity for Yu Jin and me to join this medical team and for all the new friends we have made.

Please keep us in your prayers for ongoing good health and safety especially on the roads.

Pray that the many souls who have given their life to Christ.  That they will grow in their relationship with Him.

Please continue to keep my Mum, Jane, in your prayers as she had had some infection on her legs.