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Report of Myanmar Team 2 (16th to 21st August 2008)
By Reeta Ramasamy
CRS’s
Medical Mission of Hope
CRS Myanmar Team 2, comprising of 8 members, set off early
on the 16th of August for a six day trip to Myanmar to
render medical aid to various orphanages and the surrounding
villages that have been affected by Cyclone Nargis, the
seasonal monsoons and long-standing improvised living
conditions.
The team arrived at Yangon International Airport and was
immediately welcomed by the local pastors who provided
invaluable assistance in terms of getting around the city,
locating the most reasonably priced medicine as well as
establishing contact with the local orphanages and villages.
The team stocked up on medical supplies as well as snacks
for the children and spent the rest of the day finalizing
on each members’ roles and responsibilities for
the rest of the trip. The team unanimously decided to
further divide themselves into two broad areas-medical
and children’s activities-to ensure that the daily
operations ran as smoothly as possible. |
Children at the Orphanage
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The team members also agreed to switch into a new role everyday
so that each person would have the opportunity to learn more
from each of his/her adopted role for that particular day. Each
member was to instruct on his/her duties to the next person
who was to take up the role for the preceding day. The first
night ended with the team meeting up at the leader’s room
and packing medicine while sharing lots of laughs.
The team started their work on the 17th after Sunday service
where Hong Yi gave a deeply moving and thoughtful sermon. His
interactive workshop style delivery of the sermon managed to
get many in the congregation, to actively engage with the ideas
that he had intended to raise. Children from Andrew Orphanage
and Grace Orphanage made their way to the church to receive
medical aid after the service. The children who were kept in
the holding area were engaged in arts and craft as well as an
outdoor game such as dog and bone while other children were
treated at the second level of the church. The children were
enthusiastic and had lots of fun with the volunteers and the
team. The local youth volunteers helped the team as interpreters
and as a result, the team, which comprised of only one 70-year-old
retiree doctor, Peng Cheng, managed to treat almost 80 people
on the first day. The team was tired but still managed to have
an enjoyable dinner cum debrief session before turning in for
the day.
Click for bigger image:
The 18th of August began with devotion at 7.30am and breakfast.
The team then set out to the city to purchase more medication,
snacks, toothbrushes and toothpaste. The team decided that the
last two items on the list were included with the intention
of teaching the children dental hygiene while they waited to
be examined by the doctor. The team went to MSBM Bible School
and quickly set up the clinic as villagers had already started
coming in by the time the team had arrived. The team was treated
to a delicious home cooked lunch and then started work as children
and elderly villagers arrived at the clinic. Leong Heng, who
used a mixture of jokes and firm instruction, taught the children
dental hygiene while they obediently waited to see the doctor.
Ester used her good judgment to donate some toys to the day
care centre at the village and was moved when the teacher gratefully
mentioned that she had been praying for new toys for the children.
Nellie worked effectively with Luke to dispense the prescribed
medicine while the latter explained to the patients on how they
ought to take their medication. Eventually, the team managed
to treat over 70 people that day. The team had to set off in
the rain as they had an engagement at the Singapore embassy
and managed to arrive on time despite incurring two punctured
tires along the way. The team managed to meet Ambassador Robert
Chua as well as the St John’s St Margaret’s Church’s
(SJSM) medical team who had just landed in Yangon earlier that
day. The day ended with the team having Burmese dinner that
was hosted by Pastor Patrick where the team heard of the plans
that the pastor has to generate long-term sustainable projects
for the Burmese people.
The team started off on the 19th with a one and a half hour
trip out to the villages amidst the rain and uneven roads. However,
the heavy rain, flood and the possibility of being stranded
in the mud did not stop the team from rallying forth towards
the village. The kindness of the locals was evident as some
men from the village transported Dr. Peng Cheng and Helen (our
resident human thermometer) on a rickshaw towards the village
when the truck seemed incapable of moving in the mud. The team
managed to arrive at Agape Orphanage and efficiently set up
the necessary equipment with the help of the locals. The area
was flooded but there was also a large paddy field at the back
of the building where the team was treating the patients. Most
of the individuals who were treated that day were children.
The doctor managed to treat about 70 people that day. The team
then left the orphanage early in the evening and then met with
Pastor Patrick and the SJSM team for dinner. Both teams decided
during 10-course dinner to share resources and personnel in
order to treat the patients more effectively. Dr Julia from
the SJSM team was to accompany the CRS team to Tender Love orphanage
the following day while the SJSM team was to head to another
orphanage. After dinner, the team then went to Chinatown to
purchase some fruits and nuts while soaking up the atmosphere.
The team also has some hot and sweet deserts in Chinatown before
heading back to the hotel for a debrief session.
The team began the 20th with an hour drive out to the villages
that housed Tender Love orphanage that has flourished over the
years under Pastor Patrick’s guidance. The affable Dr.
Julia from SJSM joined the CRS team and everyone arrived late
in the morning and efficiently set up the various treatment
areas. The patriarch of the orphanage blessed everyone before
they began their respective roles. Soon the children started
streaming into the clinic and by 2pm, the doctors had treated
about 50 patients. The pastor’s family had cooked a delicious
lunch for the team and everyone used their lunch break to interact
with the locals. After lunch, some of the members had made their
way to the local market to buy the necessary groceries for the
meal that they planned to cook for the children later in the
day. Some of the team members eventually started treating more
patients in the afternoon while Nellie, Leong Heng, Ester, Helen
and Pastor Patrick cooked for the children.
The team managed
to treat about 80 patients that day and then went on to
serve the food for all the children at the orphanage.
The children tucked into a delicious meal and then went
on to put up a cultural performance for the CRS team as
well as the SJSM team who came over to the orphanage after
they had finished treating their patients.
It was an enjoyable evening of cultural exchange as the
children put up various cultural dances and sang songs
for the audience after the SJSM team had performed magic
tricks for the children and the CRS team sang a song for
them. At the end of the evening, everyone gave thanks
for the opportunity to contribute to the well being of
the less fortunate and bade goodbye before heading back.
The team shopped on the 21st at Bogyoke Market and managed
to get some gifts and souvenirs that reflected Burmese
culture. The team then said goodbye to our generous and
helpful local hosts who in turn bought some local delicacies
for the team. Everyone then went for lunch at the Aroma
Café before heading for the airport to catch the
flight home. |
The locals performing cultural dance for the team at Tenderlove Orphanage
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The team was united in their sense of purpose and everyone had
clearly wanted to make the most of the time that they had been
given in Myanmar. They approached each challenge with a shrug
of the shoulders, a smile and a ‘can do’ spirit.
It was striking to note that all the team members, at various
parts of the trip, expressed their gratitude at being given
the opportunity to contribute to the Burmese people. They consistently
revealed their compassion towards the under privileged, displayed
their fortitude in spite of the unfamiliar surrounding and were
ever ready to have a good laugh along the way. |
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