Braving the Jungle to Help the Hurting
Operation Blessing’s outreach center in Thailand held its’
20th medical mission in January! Volunteers and staff had the privilege
of serving 404 children and adults living in the Khun Yuam District. The
individuals on this dedicated team were among the numerous people who have
helped our center in caring for the poor since October 2000. Meet Soa-kew
and Paowa. They are just a few of the many precious lives our partners have
helped over the last few months.
Mountains surround the village where Huey Nam Khao Church is located.
This part of the jungle is home to the Karen tribe; an uneducated and
secluded people group. The nearest hospital is more than 200 miles away,
an especially long distance when riding livestock or walking are the common
modes of transportation.
Several months ago something out of the ordinary happened. A team of
86 medical and support volunteers representing Operation Blessing set
up in the church for a 3-day clinic. These dedicated men and women would
be roughing it in the jungle because there wasn’t a hotel with hot
water in sight. But their compassion for the hurting compelled them to
overlook their personal discomfort.
Going the Extra Mile
The good news traveled fast. Soa-kew, 27, began walking at noon with his
daughter. The little one had been suffering from diarrhea for a while
and he was worried. She was getting dehydrated and weak. The two reached
the clinic site six hours later, spent the night and saw Dr. Thomas in
the morning. Soa-kew was so relieved when the doctor gave him medicine
that would help his daughter recover.
Another patient named Paowa had been dealing with eye pain. The young
woman lived 35 miles away and paid a few pennies of her small income for
transportation. After seeing the doctor she shared, “I would like
to thank Operation Blessing and their volunteers who provided free medical
service for us.”
During the mission, young and old alike had opportunities to see a doctor
and dentist, have minor surgery, receive medicine and get a haircut. Students
from Payap University and Van Sant Voord Hospital’s nursing departments
also taught basic health education to the patients. It was common for
doctors to see patients suffering from symptoms or illnesses including
high blood pressure, stomach ache, skin disease, high fever and the common
cold. When it was time to pack the clinic up, the team had provided 1,338
services!
Every month teams of Operation Blessing volunteers are conducting medical
missions around the world. Join us in providing basic health care to children
and their families.
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