Clinic Day Two

Its about 7:00 AM Tuesday morning. One of my favorite things in Cambodia is the coffee and the fresh French bread. One cup will keep you going all morning and the French bread at this time of day is fresh and warm - and its delicious. I am getting ready for devotions with the team and thinking back on last years trip. One of things that I realized last year, and is still true this year is that the Cambodian people are just like you and me. They want the same things. To raise their children in safety and love, to be loved and to live a long a and full life. While the American version of a full life may include any number of things we take for granted like a shopping mall or a convenience store in the right place the Cambodian version focuses more on having enough to eat as opposed to where to eat, having a roof to sleep under as opposed to the size of the house under the roof, and things that are much closer to survival than most Americans, even the most disadvantaged of Americans will never have to contemplate.


As we begin seeing patients on this trip I am again reminded that while you may think that the health problems would be very different from in the US, there are still conditions of the spirit that affect the body in ways such as anxiety, depression, gastritis and so forth that seem out of place when you also see things like leprosy, goiter, severe infections, TB, malaria, typhoid, dysentery, and diseases that are often only ever seen by most health care professionals in a book

With this in mind I am going to be sharing with the entire team that whether you are one of he doctors, or working in the pharmacy, or manning the prayer room, many of the afflicted we will see are ill for the reason of a lack of love in their life. They do not have the ultimate love that we as Christians all too often may take for granted. Imagine for a moment if you and your spouse where not in love. What would that do to your mental, emotional and physical health? Imagine if you did not have the greatest love of all in your life and had to face each ugly loveless day all by your self, alone and without hope. What do you suppose that would do to your health? Regardless of what we do on this team, our single biggest purpose is to bring Love. The love of a Christ who asked us to give that love through Him by the simple means of providing a cup of cold water in his name!

More after clinic today.

Today we do clinic in a small village where we have not been before. There is a village school and we have the luxury of being able to use class rooms to set up in. Now get rid of that class room picture that comes to mind. These class rooms have no electricity, no heat, no AC no fans, and just about nothing else. So all this luxury gives us is a refuge from any rain and a means of avoiding the direct sun. It is still not and humid, but out here we count our blessings in different ways.

We see about 200 folks today. The usual mix of all kinds of cases. Lots of various pains, lots of parasites, lots of infections, a few goiters, one or two recent stroke victims and an incredible amount of STD!

Our dispensary/pharmacy is working out the kinks of distribution and we all get into the groove and set a good pattern for the rest of the trip.

The prayer team meets a women today, who is a believer and tells them that God spoke to her last night and told her that she would be healed today, and that she should not leave the clinic until that happens. So she stays, until she is clear that she has been healed in full by God at the hands of this small group of Americans. Praise God!

Talk to you soon, time for dinner and then bed!

Monday 11 29 2010


Today we leave the capital and head north 100km to the city of Kompong Chhnan we make a quick visit to the Women’s Center to meet the drama team that is traveling with us and then head out another 40 km for our first clinic. We expect the clinic to be small, no one has been to this village for years to provide medial care. Boy are we in for a surprise.

When we arrive at the village there are over 200 people already waiting for us! Even though we get a late start and see our first patient at 1:00 PM we end up seeing over 400 patients! The prayer team sees some exciting testimonies and the medical team sees serious infections, goiter, typhoid, measles, lots of chronic pain, hypertension, diabetes and a host of respiratory infections as well as mal-nutrition. One local women tells us that she has been praying for three years that doctors would come to the village and that last night she has a dream where Jesus came to her and told that today would be the day! She is so excited to see us! By the time we see our last patient is almost dark and we are breaking down the clinic in the absence of lighting.

Cyndy got her first true look at our biggest challenge. Keeping the dispensary/pharmacy running smooth. With three doctors and a nurse sending patients to the pharmacy for meds with a crew of 6 - 8 folks sounds like it should be easy, but those folks are working harder than any of the rest of us. My fellow doctor of chiropractic Dr. Sooley from Illinois and I each see about 150 - 175 patients today. ‘

About half through the day, it rains and there is not enough cover for everyone so we keep on and just get wet. Since it is about 90 degrees and 99% humidity the rain is actually a welcome respite from the heat.

As usual we see a whole bunch of kids! Most of you have probably figured out that I love the kids! Today there are several very young ones with upper respiratory infections and malnutrition. I managed to make it through the day without betting peed, puked, or pooped on!

This morning we started the day with a worship song by Dave Pino which sets the tone for the day. The team is touched by this song as we have our morning devotions and worship time. I will try and see if I can find a version to post in the blog.

Needless to say we are all very tired and bed is a welcome and early event. Tomorrow we do a clinic about 20 km from town. The roads are in good shape having recently been graded after the rains stopped a few weeks ago, so the rides are not nearly as bumpy as last year.

I should also give you a little fill in on the events in Cambodia last week. Some of you may have caught the news story about a stampede at a water festival in Phnom Penh last week in which it was said that there were a dozen or so deaths. The true number is actually about 400 young people who were killed when a very large crowd was prompted into a fearful stampede. As of yet, no one knows what started it, but the whole city is on edge.

Well that’s all for now, talk to you more tomorrow

Sunday in Phnom Penh

The Sunday before we hit the road to the villages is a busy day. We start out with a 7:30 AM team meeting and orientation. Only three of us are veterans from last year and two others are veterans from prior years trips. This year we have a Pastor Ron from Lexington, KY, Dr. Nelson an MD from Hyderabad India, Kurt from North Carolina, Dr. Sooley from Central Illinois, John and Regina from Palm Beach, Fl, Glen and Evelyn from Colorado and Sam Hooper from Pittsburg. As soon as we rush through intros and orientation it’s off to Church at the Transform Asia HQ. The congregation is young, a lot younger than In Roads with twice as many kids as In Roads.

Worship is great, even though we do not speak Khmer, the melodies are familiar and we sing along in English! , Pastor Ron from Kentucky gives a great message but I am not quite sure if his coon dog metaphor is understood by the Cambodians. None the less I do think they understand how his story of how a coon dog gets louder and louder as it approaches what it is after is an example of how our worship leads us closer and closer to God.

After service learn that the worship team has an amazing story. Three years ago none of them could sing or play an instrument. They were thought how to play three cords by a visiting musical missionary and after that took to worship songs with a vengeance. Today they have produced five worship albums in Khmer, are regular guests on Cambodian national TV shows and lead worship every Sunday at the Transform Asia headquarters.



Again this year the little children are in abundance and they love to meet new friends. Here area  few of my new young best friends.

After church most of the team goes off to the Genocide museum. Having been there last year, I opt to use the time with Regina our RN and get all of our medical supplies organized.

For a fresh insight into the Killing Fields experience check out Cyndy’s blog at www.cyndyincambodiatoo.blogspot.com

After opening a couple of packages of meds that burst in transit I realize that it is a good thing I am not going to be around any drug sniffing dogs. There is so much drug dust on my jeans that I am sure I would be the latest poster child for a drug mule!

We do our final shopping for hard to find items like sani wipes, and a few other supplies and then the whole team heads of to Lucky Burger for dinner.

Its early to bed tonight as we all have jet lag and its up for devotions at 5:30AM followed by a quick breakfast and several hours ride to our first clinic at the Women’s Center. I will tell you more about the Women’s center tomorrow.

Arrival

We have arrived!


The first thing you notice about Phnom Penh is how busy it is! Heavy traffic with more motor bikes than you can count!

The next thing you notice is the abundance of street food vendors. Everything from fruit and coconut to barbeque and noddels is ready and waiting for a walk away meal. Shopping in Cambodia is not a mall or a walmart, by from stall to stall as everything consumable product you can think of is sold from family run stalls selling everything from clothing to exercise equipment.

After our long flight and 14 time zones the rest of today is spent getting our med inventory started, having my favorite Thai Spicy Shrimp soup at Pho Pho restaurant in the hotel New York and then getting some rest. Tomorrow we meet the entire team, do our final med shopping and visit the Killing Fields museum.

Almost There

SFO - Taipei



Great flight from SFO to Taipei. Still cant figure out where Friday went, but I understand we get a day back on the returen. Thankfully we both slept most of the flight which makes the 14 hours go a little quicker. Taipei airport is like an American mall on steroids. Up scale internationl brand name luxury products every where you turn. High prices too! Ralph Lauren mens polo shirt 95.00 bucks! They go for 28 on sale at the outlet mall, same shirt! American excess has nothing over these stores! Next stop Phnom Penh.

Thanksgiving Day Departure

What a wonderful day to start a trip to the mission field. Thanksgiving day – the iconic American holiday where we all stop , take a moment and contemplate what we have to be thankful for. As I get up late after sleeping in a little today I recall many of those past Thanksgiving holidays. Early in life, growing up in the cold country of upstate New York where the most important moment of the day was the annual football rivalry game between Kingston and Newburgh high schools. Later in life raising a family and according to the version of history from my wife and kids taking over the kitchen to put out that perfect thanksgiving dinner. More recently, Thanksgiving has been at this child’s home or that with them and their extended families continuing this great American tradition.


Last year was my first medical missions trip to Cambodia. Last Thanksgiving was totally different. No big family get together at our house or one of the kids houses. Dinner was at a Cyndy's cousins – and they let us come empty handed! Most of the day was spent in last minute packing and planning. This year as you know since you are reading this blog I am again heading to Cambodia on Thanksgiving day. What is different is that Cyndy is coming with me and my responsibilities with Transform Asia and the medical aspect of this trip have expanded. So, now we are packing for two, making lists for two and adding an entire layer of administrative pre trip activities that make things a little more hectic. In the midst of all of that, this morning as I ate some breakfast and had a cup of coffee I was contemplating what it is that I have to be thankful for, not only today, but each and every day. As I leafed through the pages of the morning paper, I realize that thankfulness is quite a relative thing. The headlines in the paper run from:

Sierra Mountain powder snow (skiers are thankful for that)

Jobless claims down (people with jobs are thankful for that)

thrift stores joining shopping craze, (don’t know what to make of that)

Tiffany’s net income rising (some rich folks are probably thankful for that)

Economic uncertainty causing civil unrest (can't see any thanks in that)

Artillery shell damage in South Korea (certainly no thanks in that)

Police raids in the slums of Rio de Janeiro (doubt if anyone is thankful for these things)

Dozens killed in Phnom Penh panic (Wow. That’s where we are going! There is no thanks in that!)

And Finally:

Church Serves up Thanksgiving Blessing with the sub heading from Lonny Zwerle (a 58 year old homeless man) who says “I’ve got food, shelter, I’ve got clothing, and I can give to others – Its wonderful – it sounds strange coming from a homeless person, but my whole experience has been a blessing and I thank God for it. There are a lot of people a lot worse off than I am -- and I've got nothing”

I think Lonny sums it up for all of us, Be Thankful For Where You Are and For What You Have – regardless of what your station in life happens to be. And make sure that your thanks are directed to God.

I am personally thankful that I can brave the most recent security checks, get on a plane, spend 14 hours flying half way around the world and give something to people who in the absence of our team will not have basic health care.

I look forward to, as I did last year, singing praises of thanks and blessings to our God each and every day as we go from remote village to remote village and meet the needs of the Khmer people. God has blessed me with the ability to do this and I am thankful for that.

Yes, our thankfulness is relative. And you do not have to be a missionary to experience thankfulness. God will meet each of us where we are and in what we are doing. And we can each be thankful for that. As a parent whose time and resources are directed toward raising your children, as someone who goes each day to a job and has the wonderful opportunity to see God in the work that you do, as a _________ you fill in the blank, we each can find much to be thankful for.

HAVE A BLESSED THANKSGIVING.

AND BY THE WAY PLEASE PRAY FOR CYNDY AND I AND OUR TEAM FOR THE NEXT 2 ½ WEEKS!

Getting Ready for Cambodia 2010

In a week we take off for Cambodia!

This past year has been a year of global stress demonstrated in the economy, wars, a national dialogue on all manner of politics, a huge environmental disaster in the form of an oil spill, the raging health care debate and any number of other "stressors" in and around our lives.

Despite all of this "stuff", half way around the world in Cambodia thousands of folks have been going along each day eeking out a living in a life so distant from ours that it can be at times indescribable. While you and I can still get health care, put food on the table, go to church every Sunday, and generally live in comfort despite all those stressors,these folks live without the luxury of any of what we so take for granted. For some Cambodians health care is a once a year event. For others the search for food is a full time endeavor.

As I complete my preperations for this years Transform Asia Medical Missions Trip, I realize how blessed we all are. And I look forward to returning to Cambodia and providng health care in the name of Christ!

There are 11 of us on the team this year including Cyndy! When I first asked Cyndy to come with me on this trip she was very hesitant. What about that long airplane flight she said. What about the hot and humid weather you know I don't do well in the heat she said. Can I get get good food she said, you know how sensitive I can be to diet changes. Then she said "and besides, what have I got to offer the people of Cambodia?"

Well, Cyndy will tell you that I asked her to pray about it. And she will also tell you that throughout the 36 years of our marriage I have always known that she was capable of far more than she expected of herself. After all she gave birth to four kids for a total of 116 hours of labor! Anyone who can do that can certainly travel half way around the world and find that there is more to learn about herself and more to realize about serving Christ just because of who she is and the value that has for other people regardless of the culture or country.

So we are both off to Cambodia. We depart SFO thanksgiving night,fly for a really long time to Taiwan, change planes and end up in Phnom Penh Saturday morning. Dont ask me what happened to Friday its confusing.

Our in country schedule calls for us to visit the villages of Kdol, Cheneak, Posat, Rokakiri, Kasskrolaw, Bakroutas, Sampov Mountain, Poipet, and the cities of Battambang and Siem Reap. Most of the places do not show up on any map.

Of the 11 of us on the trip this year we consist of three doctors and a nurse (from California, Illinois, Florida and New Delhi India) a rocket scientist from Florida, a water engineer from North Carolina, a Pharmaceutical executive from Ohio, and several other folks I have not met yet from the Mid-West and back East.

As I did last year I will be posting to this blog as day to day as I can. I certainly will write an entry each day, and get them posted when we have internet access.

What each of you can start doing to help us is pray for our trip! Pray that we meet the needs of those who need our skils. Last year we saw 8,000 patients, and this year is expected to be no different.

YOu can keep us in your daily prayers for our health, that we get rest each day, and that we have all of the personal resources necesarry to overcome each challenge that comes our way. The single most important personal resource we will be relying upon will be our relationship with God and His Son Jesus Christ. Please pray that nothing comes between any of us and that relationship.



As many of you know, last month, my brother Chris went to be with the Lord. In Late May early June of this year Chris and I had the blessing of serving together on a mission strip to Tijuana Mexico. On that trip, Chris feel deeply in love with hands on missions. Those of you who have seen his heartfelt encouraging plea to all of us to answer the call of God and serve in missions trips will understand the depth of that love. Last year, while I was in Cambodia, Chris posted this on my blog:

"Rick, Than you so much for answering the call of God and doing what needed to be done. As I read your blog, each page makes me cry as you describe your experience. I can feel God working through what you and your team are doing. Praise the Lord."

The first thing that will be happening when the team meets in Phnom Penh Saturday night is a dedication of this trip to Chris Skala. I pray that we each get just a glimpse of the depth his passion for Christ and missions, and that we do our best for the Kingdom of the One Trip God and His Son Jesus Christ.

One final note before we get into the day to day of the trip. Please take a moment and visit the Transform Asia web site to get a full look at what this ministry is doing in the lives of Cambodians.

www.transformasia.us

More to come. draft 7:36:00 PM by Rick Skala Delete