2012 MEDICAL MERCY CANADA SOCIETY S.E. ASIA MISSION …...Dr. Sheila Poon, optometrist, Calgary...

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2012 MEDICAL MERCY CANADA SOCIETY S.E. ASIA MISSION REPORT

Good things come when you continue to

strive for your goal with patience.

After several years of planning,

fundraising, finding another humanitarian NGO

partner, then construction (with all its

problems), the MMC dream for a solid medical

centre in Zokhawthar, Mizoram State, India

became a reality in 2010

Zokhawthar Medical Centre

Much of the monitoring of the

development of this medical centre was done

by Deryl and Dr. Ray Comeau, MMC India

managers, to whom the MMC Board of

Directors is very grateful.

Due to various local and international

developments we were not able to visit

Zokhawthar in 2010 and 2011 although Deryl

and Dr. Ray did visit to monitor and inspect the

facility, its operations and finance

Zokhawthar Medical Centre staff

Come January 2012 we were finally able

to go to Zokhawthar to inspect, ourselves, the

facility and staff and operations.

On the first morning there, as we walked

up to the building (which we had before only

seen in pictures as it was being constructed)

Elaine went up to the front entrance, put her

arms around one side of the doorway to hug it

and shed a few tears as she said, “It’s finally

here, so the people can get more help”

On 9 January 2012, the initial MMC

team left Calgary, WestJet to Vancouver and

Cathay Pacific airlines to Bangkok. Both

airlines allowed each team member to check in

3 pieces of luggage at no extra cost as it was

humanitarian aid carried by a registered

Canadian charity.

Team members were:

Brenda Samis,(retired) nurse, 3rd MMC mission

Neil Samis,(retired) engineer, 3rd MMC mission

Elaine Semkuley, (retired) pharmacist, mission

organizer

Dr. Myron Semkuley

We left several pieces of supply luggage

in our hotel in Bangkok then continued on by

Kingfisher Airlines to Kolkata. We stayed

overnight in Kolkata at Fairlawn Hotel.

12 January we flew Jet Airways from

Kolkata, India to Aizawl, capital city, Mizoram

State, which borders Burma. We stayed

overnight in Aizawl at David’s Hotel Clover. 13

January we drove for 7 hours over poor roads

averaging 30Km/hr. to Champhai. At one

village along this narrow mountainous road, we

stopped for a short break and were

immediately welcomed by Baroness Carolyn

Cox of Britain, and her humanitarian aid team.

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Baroness Cox (2nd from right)

We had a very pleasant and interesting

meeting with her and three other members of

HART, the humanitarian organization that she

founded. They are very interested in supporting

the medical centre in Zokhawthar. They also

have other projects along the India – Burma

border and other areas in the world.

Early evening we arrived in Champhai.

The Champhai clinic staff welcomed us with

tea, cake, fruit and lots of smiles. Everyone

was very happy to see us. Then the last 1 ½

hour drive (25Km/hr.) to Zokhawthar. Supper

and a brief meeting, then bed, at the new

Zokhawthar Tourist lodge (very nice).

Next morning, we made our first visit to

the MMZ Medical centre in Zokhawthar. We

four had a very pleasant, interesting,

productive several days there. We also visited

some smaller projects in Zokhawthar village

that individual MMC team members are

supporting:

- 14 year age girl supported to go to school

(now for 6 years) so she would not have to

work breaking rocks for roads, or in fields, or as

a drug runner, or a sex worker.

Lalthani in her school uniform

- 16 year aged boy, paraplegic, provided with

proper nutrition, mattress, bedding, chronic

wound care supplies. Amazing how his wounds

have healed by June, after the above was left

for him in January

Siama – paraplegic patient

A detailed, report on the Zokhawthar Medical Centre was submitted by Neil Samis to the MMC Board. See website

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The four team members retraced our path back to Bangkok arriving on 19 January 2012.There Neil and Brenda Samis left the team having completed their commitment for this year.

Next day, 20 January, 5 new people arrived from Canada to join the MMC team for the next leg:

Dr.Carol Bruce, family physician, Ottawa Dr. Sheila Poon, optometrist, Calgary Linda Baden, nurse, Calgary Phuong Thai, RN, Edmonton

Susan Poon, RN, Edmonton

A restful evening in Bangkok then early

21 January the 7 of us flew Thai Airways to

Chiang Rai, northern Thailand. The 5 people

from Canada also each brought 3 bags of

medical supplies as part of the MMC mission.

All these extra bags were sent by van to our

rendezvous point on the northern Thai – Burma

border.

From Chiang Rai we were driven to

Thoed Thai village, Thailand. Early next

morning, some last minute shopping in the

local open market then by truck to the border

and across into Loi Kaw Wan. This was the first

time in 11 years that we could cross the border

into Loi Kaw Wan so easily and with all our

supplies.

Although we arrived in Loi Kaw Wan on

Sunday morning, we began work that very

same day. We checked into our “visiting

trainers” accommodation, organized our

supplies and met with the senior people whom

we have known for years at the medical centre.

That afternoon we began our teaching

sessions.

Loi Kaw Wan is an internally displaced

persons (IDP) camp, first settled in 2000 due to

severe oppression of the Shan people by the

central Burmese army. MMC has been a very

integral part of the development of the

orphanage, medical centre and training young

people who decide to become medics There is

none to very little foreign medical aid to most

of these IDP and refugee camps along the

border. Therefore, training the young local

people to become medics, and school

teachers, etc. is essential for these people who

have fled oppression, to become self-sufficient

in their own surroundings. At times when there

New trainees study to become medics

are no foreigners to provide assistance, these

newly trained young people can provide some

education, support, medical aid to their own

people. This has been one of the biggest roles

for MMC since 1993.

Nurse Phuong, Dr. Carol, Interpreter Bay Da

Since Loi Kaw Wan Medical Centre

began (with MMC support) in 2001, there have

been many young people begin training as

medics. For many different reasons, most left

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after 6 months, or 1 or 2 years. However, a

small group of dedicated individuals have

stayed on at Loi Kaw Wan Medical Centre.

They now form the nucleus of medics that

effectively run the centre. This year there were

12 seniors & 2 were away for special training.

Nurse Phuong instructs senior medics

We also had 8 new young people (4

boys, 4 girls) from inside Shan State, Burma.

They had arrived at Loi Kaw Wan just before

us, in time to begin medic training with the

MMC team. We, therefore, had a senior class

and a new trainee class, daily from 9 to noon,

1-4:30pm and 7-8:30pm. Much of the teaching

was done by Dr. Carol and Dr. Myron.

Frequently, the nurses took over teaching of

certain areas of knowledge. It was all a new

and challenging experience for these nurses.

As they adjusted to their new duties, they

quickly became more effective, came to know

their students individually, and enjoy their work.

An outpatient clinic daily from Monday to

Saturday gave all of us an opportunity to see

some of the medical problems prevalent

amongst the local people.

Dr. Carol examines sickly novice monk.

However, being the dry season there,

the outpatient clinic was relatively quiet.

Dr. Sheila spent all of her days

examining people’s eyes and providing

spectacles where necessary.

Dr. Sheila checks vision

Linda looks on while child receives glasses.

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She was assisted mostly by Linda who learned

much about checking vision to see if eye

glasses were necessary and what type of

glasses to provide. This knowledge Linda used

to continue eye exams and provide spectacles

in other areas we visited after Dr. Sheila had to

return to Canada.

Dr. Sheila examined all the school

children (over 300), all the medical centre staff,

and many of the villagers who were able to

attend the clinic. Reading and distance-vision

eye glasses were provided to nearly everyone

who required them, free of charge.

Children wait to have eyes checked

These eye glasses, 1,300 pairs were

provided by a Lions Club in Calgary. We are

very grateful for their assistance in this part of

MMC’s mission

Dr. Sheila’s class on “eye anatomy”

Dr. Sheila also gave some classes on

eye anatomy, physiology, certain eye diseases

and simple treatment that could be provided at

this simple medical centre.

MMC is very grateful to Dr. Sheila and

her assistant, Linda, for this big job.

In 2011, some MMC team members

found a family of 4 orphaned children in Loi

Kaw Wan.

Orphan family-MMC team-school principal.

Two MMC team members decided to fund the

care of these children. This would allow 2 of

the sisters, 13 year old Amei and 10 year old

Madi to attend school with the appropriate

clothes and school supplies. Without this

support, these 2 girls would have had to go to

work picking tea leaves, weeding gardens,

doing domestic work for Thai landlords, and

possibly whatever else goes along with that.

With the support from our team, this

family was moved into a better house (bamboo

floor up off the ground, separate bedrooms as

the oldest is an 18 year old boy). Soon after

they were moved to this better house, the

previous house, being of thatch & bamboo, fell

apart, probably blown down by the big (?) bad

wolf.

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Orphan family in “better” bamboo house.

The children look happier in 2012 (less afraid),

healthier (constant supply of good food), less

shy and more interactive with their neighbors

and us when we visited them. There is a big,

positive change in these children due, in large

part, to the kindness and generosity of our

team members who have dedicated

themselves to support the care of these

children through MMC.

ARSAY family: Asai, Amei, Madi & Adoe

These children live in one of the more

poor sections of Loi Kaw Wan. Half of the

houses in this section, including the orphans’

house, have no water. These people use the

surrounding grass and bush as their toilet.

There is an open area at the lower end of the

Section where orphan family lives.

section (situated on a hillside) where a lone

PVC pipe gives off some clean water from a

small artesian well higher up the hill. This open

Only water source in section

area has a few boards for people to stand,

instead of the wet ground, as they try to collect

some water for home, or wash, simply and

discreetly, inadequately, in the open.

We discussed this situation in this

section of the village with Head man of the

Section. His house is one of the houses without

water. He looked very sad and embarrassed as

we discussed the very inadequate water and

sanitation situation in his section. His daughter

is an effective & committed senior medic at the

Medical Centre in Loi Kaw Wan, a 2-3 Km walk

from her home.

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We arrived at a solution. Volunteered

labor would be provided by the men in that

section and also by some of the medics.

Funding for purchase of all of the supplies

(concrete blocks, cement, sand, wooden posts,

metal for roof, proper toilets, etc.) would be

provided by MMC. A solid, 6 stall building

would be constructed, 3 toilet stalls, 3 bathing /

shower rooms with water holding tanks

(concrete) in each of these stalls. Open space

at the top of the walls just below the metal roof,

for light and ventilation. A concrete floor! Doors

that could be held closed from inside. The

school principal, Tham Khur, who oversees the

care of the orphan family is to organize the

construction of this facility. A great

improvement for this section of Loi Kaw Wan ,

something never expected by anyone there.

Later, proper water supply and sanitation in

better houses for each family. Ah! So much to

do, that’s good!

The orphanage that was built with MMC

funds is operating very well. Clean, open,

roomy, reasonably well supplied, it provides a

warm, safe, secure place in which these

orphans can become educated and grow up.

The kitchen and dining area is also clean, open

and large enough to be able to provide meals

to the orphans 3 times a day and all the school

children at lunch time.

Lunch at school for all children.

One of the ethnic groups in Shan State,

the Lahu people, celebrated their New Year’s

Day (actually all week) during the time we were

in Loi Kaw Wan. At the persistent pleading of

all the medics (and requesting glances from the

other team members) we took a day off to

attend the ceremonies. Much of the village

attended, in the large, flat area between the

school and the orphanage dormitory. All the

Lahu people in Loi Kaw Wan and about 100

other Lahu people from neighboring villages in

adjacent Thailand came, dressed in their

native, ethnic costumes. Several hundred other

non-Lahu people from Loi Kaw Wan also came

to enjoy the Lahu food, hear Lahu music, join in

the Lahu dances and just enjoy the happy

atmosphere of a previously oppressed people

freely celebrating centuries old traditions.

Lahu dancing in a circle

A wonderful, interesting, enjoyable day,

attended also by all the village dignitaries

including the commander of the local division of

the Shan State Army. He has come to know

the sincerity and work of the MMC teams in the

village he is committed to protect.

The Loi Kaw Wan Medical Centre is now

large enough that no further expansion is

required at this time. Supplies were left, but no

further funds for physical expansion this year.

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Canadian supplies left in pharmacy

Nurse Phuong sorts HPIC meds to be

explained to class.

We had a wonderful experience over 13

days in Loi Kaw Wan topped off by a party on

the last evening. We supplied food (oranges,

cookies, peanuts, soda pop & chocolates)

while the medics, trainees and school teachers

sang and danced for us. Our younger team

members gave out diplomas of Course

Attendance to all those in the training classes.

This is a big hit as these young medics and

trainees rarely, if ever, get any recognition for

their study and work efforts. This was a

pleasure for everyone.

Dr. Sheila had to leave our team in the

early morning darkness of Saturday, 4

February. Travel by car was arranged for her,

to Chiang Rai. She then fly to Bangkok and on

home to Canada.

The following day, the remaining 6 of us

also left Loi Kaw Wan. All the staff of the

medical centre came to thank the team, wish

us well on our travels and pleaded for us to

return again next year. Farewells are a strange

mixture of happiness and sadness, as some

close relationships had begun to develop, while

others from previous years were strengthened.

We left the Loi Kaw Wan Medical Centre

by open truck, crossed the Thai army-protected

border gate into Thailand with no problems.

Some of our nurses put Canada (flag) pins

onto the lapels of the Thai soldiers and

everyone smiled, happily.

One hour later, back in Thoed Thai

village, we visited the Khun Sa Museum. Khun

Sa was the leader of the (then) Mung Tai army

(MTA). Most of his funds were raised by the

cultivation of opium poppies and sale of opium.

The museum is situated in the buildings of his

former home / headquarters and is managed

by local Shan people. It is a memorial to Khun

Sa and very interestingly tells the recent history

of that area of Burma / Thailand from the

perspective of the Shan people and Khun Sa.

3 hours by truck later, we were in Ton

Hoong, the Shan migrant workers village near

the Thai city of Fang. Since 1996 we have

known Sai Sam, now Luam Sam (in his mature

years). He is a senior medic who began the

first clinic in Ton Hoong and then later all the

other medical clinics along the border between

Shan State and Thailand. He now works only in

Ton Hoong training new medics and

developing new programs to help improve the

health of his fellow Shan refugees, displaced

people and migrant workers.

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Luam Sam (front row, centre) & medics

Our team of 6 spent a week with him

working at his clinic. There are 2 senior medics

who essentially run his “Tin Tad Clinic”. Dr.

Carol, Nurse Susan and Nurse Phuong saw

patients with the medics, teaching them (and

learning some things from them) to help

improve their knowledge and skills. Susan, an

obstetrical nurse, also developed a prenatal

examination record form at Luam Sam’s

request. He was very happy to have this so

that he and his medics could provide a higher

level of care for the expectant mothers coming

to his clinic.

Dr. Myron and Nurse Linda spent most

of the time teaching the 5 new trainees, 2 girls

ad 3 boys, all between the ages of 17 – 19

years. They are children of poor Shan migrant

worker families, living and working for Thai

farmers and businessmen in the fields and

villages around Fang. By becoming medics,

they hope to avoid soon ending up in the

servile drudgery that their parents live. Our job

was to provide the best opportunity for these

young people to obtain some education to

allow them a healthier, safer, more prosperous

future.

Nurse Phuong and Nurse Linda also

contributed greatly to teaching these five

trainees, with the perspective of their training,

youth and gender. A great job!

Luam Sam continually strives to improve

the quality and effectiveness of health care

provided by his clinic. He asked us to review

the medical records of the patients being seen

by his 2 senior medics. We reviewed some of

his records and found areas where

improvement could be made. Teaching

sessions were held with the 2 senior medics.

Improvement was already noted by our last day

there. Luam Sam will continue this “quality

development and education” program for his

permanent medics. A marvelous man with a

huge heart, Luam Sam does everything he can

to constantly decrease the suffering of his

indigent Shan people, oppressed in Shan State

and put into servitude in Thailand.

We reviewed our school sponsorships

for the 6 students that MMC has been

financially assisting. This allows them to stay in

school and obtain an education that will enable

them to get a safer, better paying job to support

themselves and their families. Without this

support, these children would face a lifetime of

drudgery, servitude and poverty. But how many

more children need this support that we are

presently not able to help? Anyone interested

in privately supporting a child in Ton Hoong to

attend school, please contact us. For just $400

($1.10 per day) we can keep one child in

school and his / her family out of destitution.

Of the 6 students, MMC has 3 whom it

has been supporting for 6 years now. They will

complete Standard 12 (our Grade 12

equivalent) in another 2 years and be able to

be reasonably employed in Thai community.

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Students sponsored by MMC

After a good, busy, enjoyable and

productive week with Luam Sam at Ton Hoong

village, Susan and Phuong left the team on 10

February to begin their return trip to Canada.

The remaining 4 of us bid our farewells

to Luam Sam and family, his medics and

trainees and sponsored students early on 12

February. Again, relationships begin but

farewells, always a bit sad, interfere. They

know we will return.

We travelled by open truck from Ton

Hoong (Fang) to Chiang Dao, then up into the

high hills of northwest Thailand. An exhilarating

drive through the hills brought us to the

beautiful quiet town, Arunotai, just 3 Kms. from

the Thailand / Burma border.

Dr. Carol welcomes us to Arunotai town.

In an old, dilapidated, Buddhist temple in

Arunotai, a Shan Buddhist monk, the

Venerable Pramaha Virote, now an Abbott,

began in 2003 to develop a safe haven for

children who were homeless and at risk,

abused or orphaned. Nearly all of these

children have come from inside Shan State,

Burma areas of conflict for over 40 years. The

children are the youngest and weakest victims

of extreme human violations, including torture,

rape, forced labor, forced relocation and

killings. They are at high risk for forcibly

becoming child laborers or child soldiers.

Nong Ook is the old Shan name for the

village of Arunotai. As more children came to

the Abbott in his temple, he began to develop a

school for them. The Abbott wanted all children

to have access to basic education, be aware of

society and avoid exploitation. The school was

named “Nong Ook Schools of Hope”.

In 2008 Abbott Pramaha Virote was joined by

a young Shan man who also wanted to devote

his life to teaching and helping these

unfortunate children.

Nong Ook Schools of Hope Est. 2008

Sai Noom Hkurh Piyah was born in a

stateless place during the civil war in horrible

conditions without any security, health care or

educational facilities. Without any record of his

birth, he had no official status, no citizen of any

country. During his childhood, he faced many

extreme difficulties (army attacks on his village,

displacement over and over again, poverty,

constant fear). He survived due to a strong

heart and constant struggling. He never gave

up his desire to get an education and help

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other children suffering the same fate as he did

as a child.

Noom Hkurh interprets for Dr. Carol

In 2008, Noom Hkurh joined the

monastery school at the request of the Abbott.

He has been providing loving attention, care

and education to the children there ever since.

. (Details of Nong Ook Schools of Hope are in

the article written by Elaine Semkuley, in the

2012 MMC News Magazine).

When we were there in February, there

were 51 children. The 44 boys live full time at

the monastery. The 7 girls, traditionally not

allowed to sleep in a monastery, only spend

the daylight hours there, for meals, education,

entertainment or socializing. At night, the girls

go to a separate house in Arunotai rented for

this purpose. A mother of 2 children, a cook for

all the children and staff at the monastery

during the day, is also the “mother” caregiver

for the 7 girls when they go to their house at

night. MMC supports the annual salary for this

mother, herself an abused refugee from Shan

State.

While we were there, Dr. Carol and Dr.

Myron examined all the children and staff.

Some minor medical problems were found,

corrective suggestions were made and some

funds were left to help.

Dr. Carol examines student.

Dr. Myron examines student

Nurse Linda checked some of the children and

provided reading glasses when possible.

Nurse Linda chooses glasses for student

We all 4 toured the monastery and joined the

children in their daily activities. We went with

them to their Thai schools, learning much

about their past, their life here in Nong Ook and

the concerns about what their future holds.

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Dr. Carol & Nurse Linda ride to school with

children.

They are happy now because they feel safe in

this Schools of Hope; receive simple but

regular meals, clothing, shelter and education,

all with gentle, tender care. On our last evening

there, we were surprised by a concert put on

by the children. All ages treated us to Shan

singing, dancing, acting in their traditional

costumes. It was beautiful to see nearly all the

boys and girls so happily and energetically

involved. They are obviously very well taught

by Noom Hkurh and his helpers.

But this orphanage, Nong Ook Schools

of Hope is very poor. The monastery is

crowded. The girls need their own separate

living quarters, preferably close to the

monastery. Purchase of land and construction

of this building could possibly be done for

about $20,000. If only a donor or group of

donors would make this donation to MMC, then

this “home” for the girls would become a reality.

There is also a need for help for better

food, medical care, school supplies, and

improvement of their living space. A donation

of $350 could well help one child for a year,

less than $1 a day. But there are now 51

children and many more who could and need

to be there. Can we get 60 people to each

donate $350 a year for 3-5 years? Less than

$1 a day to help a homeless child to be safe,

healthy, educated and develop a meaningful

future. PLEASE HELP.

On 14 February, the MMC team (4) left

Nong Ook. By open truck, we travelled through

beautiful scenic “mountainous” countryside all

day. We stopped at a small Thai (tourist) town,

Ban Ma Pha, to store some of our supply bags,

then on to our day’s destination with the rest of

our supplies.

Loi Tai Leng is an I.D.P. camp (like

LKW) just inside the Burma border, about 1

hour drive from the Thai town Mae Hong Son.

This year the Thai – Burma border near Loi Tai

Leng was closed (by Thai army) to foreigners

in vehicles. We therefore walked (3-4 Km)

along a small stream up a narrow jungled

coulee to the top of the mountain on which Loi

Tai Leng is situated. Our bags were driven into

camp by our Shan driver.

Our walk up the narrow valley was

guided by 3 Shan boys who met us when we

left our truck. Pleasant, young men who spoke

only a few English words, they made our walk

interesting and enjoyable, at first. We all

enjoyed walking after sitting on our “butts” most

of the day. However, the path became steeper,

The walk up the hill to Loi Tai Leng

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the late afternoon became dusky making it

difficult to see, and we did not know how much

farther or longer we had to go. Our “enjoyable”

walk became a “challenging endurance”. As we

had no choice, we continued until we reached

the top just as dusk turned to pitch black.

A truck picked us up a few moments

later and took us to the Medical Centre. We

were met by our bags and several young

medics who helped us become organized in

our sleeping quarters. Dr. Carol and Linda

stayed in a new building up 20 stairs on the hill.

Loi Tai Leng Medical Ctr. – Dr. Carol &

Linda’s sleeping quarters.

Elaine and Dr. Myron stayed in one room of a

two room wooden building on a flat area beside

the Medical Centre.

Dr. Myron & Elaine’s lodging

After a very long, full day of interesting

“international” travel” we were extremely happy

to “hit the sack” that night.

We spent seven days at Loi Tai Leng in

2011. This year there was a newly constructed

medical centre, five medics (not all known to

us) and 20 new “medic trainees”. The chief

medic, Paw Shar Gay, we did not meet last

year as she was away. This year, she, her

husband and 2 children were settled in their

new home close to the medical centre and our

residences. We had most of our meals at her

home.

Her home was also open to other

women and children who had come to this

village and temporarily had nowhere to stay.

These ladies helped Paw Shar Gay treat us

three times a day to many types of new (to us),

interesting and delicious Shan / Burmese

meals. We came to look forward to each

delicious meal with interest.

Meals at Paw Shar Gay’s house

We had 8 full days in Loi Tai Leng. Dr.

Carol spent most days 9-4pm working in out-

patient department with the senior medics. She

really enjoyed telling us in the mornings about

her frustrations trying to understand what the

medics were doing, and trying to explain to

(teach) them what she would do and why.

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Dr. Carol works with medics in OPD

It was a real challenge but much enjoyable fun.

They finally understood each other by the last

few days. Dr. Carol left them with many new

ideas, thoughts and much knowledge.

Nurse Linda helped Dr. Carol in the out-

patient department but her main job was

“spectacles”. No, she was not a spectacle but

she was a big hit examining people’s vision

and providing eye glasses where necessary

and if available.

Linda gives reading glasses to villager

She made many villagers happy because they

were able to read better with new eye glasses.

Dr. Myron spent most days in the

outdoor classroom teaching the 20 new medic–

trainees. All young people, 10 males and 10

females with a very wide range of previous

education; they all were very attentive and

appeared eager to learn. The “second-in-

charge” of the medical centre, Ba Htay, speaks

good English so he was the interpreter 90% of

the time. We worked together similarly last year

during our first trip to Loi Tai Leng. It was great

fun teaching these young people simple

anatomy, physiology, pathology and physical

examination of several areas of the body.

Teaching physical examination

Again, all of these young trainees, ages

ranging from mid-teens to late twenties, are

displaced from their homes by the atrocities

committed by the Burmese army on the poor

village people throughout the country. Many of

these young people may never see their

parents or home village again. Their lives are in

limbo, a totally uncertain future.

Loi Tai Leng Class & Trainers

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So it is a wonderful feeling to be able to

give them attention (as a group and

individually), knowledge, compassion and care,

so that they would maintain hope to be able to

develop a better, brighter future for themselves,

their people and their country. These trainees

are who will provide some level of medical care

for their people in Loi Tai Leng and any other

nearby villages in “safe areas” when no

foreigners are present, which is most of the

time. Any other medical help is very far away in

Thailand, very difficult to get to and too

expensive for most of these people.

Elaine recorded information, kept MMC

financial records, photographed activities,

events, students, and organized the itinerary

and travel. She was our “adhesive” and

“assistant”.

In morning of 23 February we left Loi Tai

Leng. Four of us plus our driver / guide were in

the truck cab, all of our bags “appropriately

packed” into the truck box and an “appropriate

adjustment of the situation” at the Thai-Burma

border was made. This allowed our very

experienced and persuasive driver to get us

through the Thai Army check point at the

border and back safely into Thailand without

any problems. We all breathed more easily

then and celebrated with “high-5”s”.

A 45 minute drive through beautiful

countryside took us back to Ban Ma Pha. We

picked up the balance of our supply bags, then

drove 1 hour to Mae Hong Son. From there we

were going to take the regular public bus to

Mae Sariang but were told the bus was broken.

Our guide found for us a man with a small van

to drive us to Mae Sariang. A shower, a drink,

a walk to and from dinner and we all slept like

logs. Well! 3 ladies slept like babies while

Myron slept like the log!

Mae La Oon “Resettlement Area” is a

large camp for Burmese people seeking refuge

from the continual atrocities inflicted upon them

in their own country.

Mae La Oon refugee camp in Thailand

It is one of many refugee camps just inside

Thailand but the largest along the northern part

of the Thai – Burma border. It holds about

18,000 people. Like all these camps, Mae La

Oon is controlled by the Thai army and

movement in or out is closely monitored and

restricted. It is deep in the mountainous jungle

close to the large, scenic Salween River which

is the Thai-Burma border at that point. The only

way to get there is a five hour truck ride (4 x 4)

over a narrow, hilly, winding and very dusty

road. This also limits movement in and out of

the camps.

Most of the refugees in the camp are

born, grow up, live and die there. Only with

Army permission can anyone leave and most

refugees are never granted this. Rarely are

foreigners allowed to enter, also.

In 2009, the MMC team (7 people) was

granted permission and visited Mae La Oon

camp for four days.

This year, 2012, our ABSDF “sons” in

Mae Sariang obtained permission for us to

again visit Mae La Oon. Elaine stayed in Mae

Sariang to catch up on her paper work. On the

morning of Friday, 24 February, Dr. Carol,

Nurse Linda and Dr. Myron travelled in an open

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pick-me-up truck to Mae La Oon. We were

accompanied by Hla Htay and the Thai driver.

Hla Htay is a wonderful young man, a beautiful

person. He is the Head Master of the ABSDF

operated “Yaung Ni Oo” school in Mae La Oon

and respected and loved by all who know him.

Living and working in Mae La Oon, he came

(with permission, on a motor bike) to Mae

Sariang to accompany us safely on the very

hot, dry, dusty trip to Mae La Oon camp.

Although we arrived in late afternoon

and the school classes were already

dismissed, all teachers and students returned

to the one large building of the school to greet

us. This building, a long, narrow structure, had

a concrete floor (MMC financed) and a four foot

high bamboo wall; open above to the roof

made of leaf shingles which must be replaced

every 1-2 years. MMC has been partially

supporting this ABSDF School in Mae La Oon

camp for about 6 years. All classrooms are

constructed of bamboo and most have a dirt

floor.

Yaung Ni Oo School

Since all the structures are on a steep

hillside, the flowing waters in the rainy season

(our summers) plays havoc with all the school

buildings except now, the one large building

with the concrete floor which MMC financed.

We would like to help this school with more

solid classrooms, which would be safer,

provide more protection for students and staff

and last 20 years, not just 2-3 years. This is a

good school with excellent, dedicated staff and

the only source of education for hundreds of

students.

Yaung Ni Oo school students

Most of the school children were born in

Mae La Oon and live with their parents in the

camp. However, there are also about 60

children that are orphans, or have been sent to

the school by their parents from inside Burma.

This is because of the high risk of these

children being abducted by the Burmese Army

to become child soldiers, or just being killed.

The parents who send their children to Mae La

Oon know that ABSDF people will give their

children protection, sustenance and education

which the parents could not provide for them at

home. Many of these “boarding students” may

never see their families again.

The school principal, Hla Htay, is

married and has 2 children of his own.

However, he still personally takes a

compassionate interest in every one of the

orphans and boarding students, feeling

responsible for each child. It is very evident

how much he is respected by all the children

and staff at the school.

We spent 3 nights and 2 full days,

Saturday and Sunday at Yaung Ni Oo School.

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MMC team lodging in Mae La Oon

Our “residence” - for Dr. Carol, Nurse

Linda and Dr. Myron, was a small bamboo

house on stilts, built on a very steep hillside.

The house had 2 small rooms separated by a

half bamboo wall. The ladies slept on one side

of the wall; Dr. Myron on the other. The

“shower room” was a bucket shower, in a small

cubicle, standing on a rickety bamboo floor, 3

feet above the ground, separated by a half wall

from 1 of the rooms. For sure we had lots of

fun trying to be “appropriate”.

Linda and Hla Htay dispense spectacles

Saturday and Sunday were spent

checking people for visual problems that we

could improve with eye glasses that we still

had. Nurse Linda and Dr. Carol, working

together very efficiently, checked about 150

people in the 2 days and provided free eye

glasses when appropriate and available.

Long line waiting for spectacles

There was always a long line of people

outside the “examining room” waiting, in the

heat of the day, to be seen. It was very sad

when people were told we no longer had any

more eye glasses that would fit their needs.

However, we did help many school children,

some staff and many other villagers.

Yaung Ni Oo School boarding students

Sunday evening, Hla Htay had the 3 of

us visit with his boarding students. It was a

very interesting experience talking to them

about Canada and MMC. Then, with Hla Htay

interpreting we learned much about them, their

lives, and their dreams which they felt would

never be fulfilled.

On Monday morning, we visited several

classrooms to encourage the students to study

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well, to keep their dreams of a better future and

to always remember that they have human

rights, and to respect the human rights of

others.

Students who wrote letters.

Many of the students wrote short letters

for us to take home to Canada. Most of the

letters are in simple English and a few in

Burmese with a translation, by 1 of the school

teachers. All the letters told who they were and

asked for help in obtaining further education

and freedom in their lives. These letters will be

taken to some schools in Canada in an attempt

to generate an interest in Canadian students

and teachers to help the Yaung Ni Oo School,

refugee students, in Mae La Oon Refugee

Camp.

At noon, we 3 took an hour to say good-

bye to all the students who came to wish us

farewell. How closely we could come to feel

about several of the students that spent time

with us. It was a parting with mixed feelings,

both happy that we had been there and met

them, yet sad that we were leaving them while

they remained trapped in this situation caused

by greed and corruption of others.

The sad situation in which these people

live is exemplified by the following:

1. Live in a small bamboo house in a

crowded camp deep in the

mountainous jungle without ever

being allowed to freely come and go.

2. School teacher’s salary about $34

per month. School Principal (Hla

Htay) salary about $48 per month.

3. Diet is mostly rice, noodles, some

“greenery” locally grown, occasional

seasonal fruit (bananas, papaya,

mango), rarely any meat or eggs,

never dairy products.

4. Health care occasionally, very

minimal or none existent.

5. Extreme weather conditions.

We returned in an open 4 x 4 truck over

the dusty, winding, mountainous road, to Mae

Sariang by 5pm. Tired, hot and dirty, we were

very happy to be met by Elaine at the Mit-A-

Ree hotel. A real shower and then supper with

2 of our “ABSDF sons”. They wanted to thank

us for our work and financial support of their

Yaung Ni Oo School. We had left $7,500 to be

used for:

a) Supplement to salaries of school teachers.

b) Supplement for food for boarding students

c) Stationary for students.

d) School building improvements.

Next morning the 4 of us went by “song

thaew” (a small open-sided bus with benches

on either side), a 6 hour ride over mountains

and onto the fertile, agricultural, high plateau

around Mae Sot.

The next 3 days were spent at Dr.

Cynthia’s Mae Tao Clinic just outside of Mae

Sot. A nice 40 minute walk from our hotel in the

early, cool morning brought us to the clinic. Dr.

Carol worked with medics and students in the

out-patient department each morning. Then

she and Dr. Myron gave lectures on medical

topics to CHWs (Community Health Workers)

who were training to become full medics. Linda

assisted in various tasks to help us complete

our work on the Thai-Burma border.

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The remaining eye glasses we had were

left in the Eye Clinic at Mae Tao Clinic. The

optometrist & trained medics there welcomed

the new inventory. They will be distributed free

of charge to the refugees in need.

Mae Tao Clinic Blood Donation Clinic

Elaine worked again with Shine, the

wonderful medic in charge of the Mae Tao

Clinic Blood Services Program. MMC has

monitored and supported this program for

many years. This year, MMC is giving $25,000

to this program which is the only place along

the Thai-Burma border that Burmese refugees

can receive a safe, free, blood transfusion. Due

to the very high prevalence amongst Burmese

refugees of severe injuries (e.g. land mine

injuries), very poor nutrition, malaria and other

blood-losing parasitic infections, severe anemia

requiring blood transfusions is very common.

The Mae Tao Clinic Blood Services Program

saves many lives, thanks to the compassion

and generosity of Canadian donors.

We 4 also visited an organization in Mae

Sot called SAW (Social Action for Women).

This organization provides protection and

support for abandoned and orphaned children,

single mothers and their children, and abused

women in distress.

SAW Programs

There are several hundreds of

thousands of Burmese refugees and migrant

workers in Mae Sot area. They are all poor,

mostly uneducated peasants, most illegal in

Thailand, taken advantage of by the local

businessmen, working for $2-3 per day, afraid

of being arrested and deported back to Burma

(almost certain death), malnourished and living

in crowded and unhealthy conditions. This

destitution causes a severe social breakdown

with marital disharmony, abuse between

spouses, abuse and abandonment of children,

child abduction and enslavement, theft, drug

abuse, prostitution, alcoholism, increased

sexually transmitted diseases, unwanted

pregnancies, unhealthy abortions or babies

that mothers are unable to care for.

Afternoon nap for children at SAW

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Dr. Cynthia’s Mae Tao Clinic provides

acute care for many of the women and children

caught in this cyclone of social problems. Then

ongoing care must be provided elsewhere.

Social Action for Women (SAW) is the only

local organization that can provide assistance

for these destitute women and children. They

provide shelter, safety, food and clothing,

counselling, training for women and school for

children, all in a gentle, caring manner, and all

by local Burmese refugees themselves. A truly

wonderful organization keeping women and

children caught up in horribly unfortunate

events from suffering slavery and death.

However, all of this costs money.

Renting houses to become residences,

schools, treatment and training centres is

expensive for Burmese refugees, even if they

can earn $5- 10 per day from a compassionate

employer. SAW is in the process of collecting

funds to buy land and construct their own

buildings for the residences, schools etc.

Future land for SAW buildings

The young people who organized and

are operating SAW are doing a marvellous job.

Now, they have this dream, to own their land

and building so as not to be at the uncertain

mercy of the landlords. They already have

about 20% of what they need. Now, another

$50,000 CAD to finish paying for all the land

necessary, and about $150,000 for

construction of all the buildings on that land,

and their dream will come true. MMC has been

a major part of that 20% and we would like to

help the dream come true for SAW. Please

contact MMC if you are interested in being a

part of this wonderful dream. Let us all work

with SAW to stop the abuse of Burmese

women and children in the Mae Sot area of the

Thai – Burma border.

On Saturday, 3 March, we left Mae Sot

by public bus for Bangkok. Next day we flew to

Kathmandu, Nepal. Elsie James and Ramesh

greeted us with the Nepali custom of a yellow

scarf. Elsie introduced us to 2 new team

members, Nicole (nurse) and Brad

(communications technologist and

photographer), from Calgary. They joined us

for the 2 full weeks that we worked in Nepal.

Two hours after landing in Kathmandu,

the entire team, now 7, flew in a small plane,

for ½ hour to Janakpur in southern Nepal, near

the Indian border.

Poverty in Mahottari district near Janakpur

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We spent 2 full days in the extremely poor

Mahottari area working very busy medical

Dr. Myron examines child

Clinics. We also experienced challenging

sleeping and eating conditions while we were

there.

Our breakfast being prepared.

After leaving Mahottari, we travelled 1

day to Dhading Besi area where we stayed for

3 days. There we held busy medical clinics

over 2 days in the very remote (end of the dirt

road) village of Simlie. This village is very high

in the foothills of the Himalayan mountains

which we saw while we were there –

SPECTACULAR!

Dust covered, rutted mountain road.to Simlie

The village school, built of brick, stone and

concrete was given over to us to hold the 2 day

clinics and accommodate us over 1 night. The

clinics were very busy as people walked from

Patients arriving to the clinic-early morning

many surrounding villages to be seen.

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Linda, Nicole & Ramesh register patients

At the end of the first day, a goat was

sacrificed for supper, for our benefit. That

morning “Ba-a-a, Ba-a-a”. That evening “yum,

yum”. Interesting meal, watching it cooked

then sitting around outside consuming it. Some

of our team “limited” their intake. In the middle

of the night, those who had to “visit” the

outdoors were treated to the most bright full

moon shining on the high Himalayan foothills.

A most beautiful, breathtaking, even

exhilarating sight and experience.

Unforgettable. SPECTACULAR!!

The people were so wonderful to us

there that the memory of those 2 days will be

cherished forever.

On Saturday, 10 March, we visited the

new, almost completed CFO

(Children’s’ Future Orphanage). MMC has

been working with an NGO from Germany to

support this orphanage of about 150 children

for several years. Situated originally in

Kathmandu, the children were moved to this

new facility in July 2012.

Children’s’ Future Orphanage (CFO) site

Here they will be safer, healthier and able to

receive not only an education in the usual 3 R’s

(reading, writing and ‘rithmetic) but also an

“agricultural education”. They will grow up here

learning gardening, animal husbandry (cows,

goats, swine, chickens) and crop farming.

Once they “graduate” from the orphanage, this

education will allow them to better succeed in

the farming community, rather than go to look

for (unavailable) jobs in the cities.

MMC mainly supports this “agricultural

education” aspect of this orphanage. You can

help MMC in this endeavour by buying a cow

for $600 or a goat for $200 (10 for $2000). Or

support one child for $1.40/day = $500/year, or

5 children for $2,500/year. Your heartfelt

generous support is very important for these

children to survive safely in their world. Thank

you.

Next day, we headed back to

Kathmandu. The following week we visited

Kanti Children’s Hospital where we met the

new director. He appeared to be very pleasant,

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receptive and accepting of our suggestions and

offers to work with him to make small, but

steady, continuing improvements to his

hospital. Our 2 main present projects there are

to clean and modernize the oncology unit, and

similarly renovate and make habitable the

parents’ dormitory.

Parents’ dormitory - deplorable condition

The roof leaks, all toilets are plugged, washing

facilities are despicable. Infections in children

receiving cancer therapy are a common cause

of their demise due to the severe lack of

cleanliness in the hospital. MMC teams will be

working with the new Hospital director and the

Oncology unit Director to improve these

situations.

Several days were also spent at

READ- Nepal, the leprosy-disabled people’s

chronic care and rehabilitation centre.

READ-Nepal

Free clinics were held and many extremely

poor and disabled people were seen & helped.

Leprosy patient, Interpreter Pramila, Dr. M.

Nurse Linda dressing chronic foot wound.

We learned more about this centre and how we

could help them, their facilities and their work

to help the lives of the victims of leprosy.

Linda & Elaine treat leprosy disabled man

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Raj Kumar Shah, the director of

READ- Nepal, accidently lacerated his finger,

which became infected.

Leprosy deformed hand, lacerated finger.

Our team saw that he received appropriate

surgical treatment and covered his costs to

ensure proper follow-up with the surgeon. Raj

has enough disabilities already, without

another finger missing.

Raj’s son takes father home on “scootie”

after hand surgery. Elsie supports.

Dr. Carol left the team on Sunday, 11

March to catch her flight home to Canada from

Bangkok. She was greatly missed by Nurse

Linda, Elaine and Dr. Myron after spending

over 7 weeks living and working closely

together in interesting, exciting places packed

full of hard work, emotions and fun.

After 2 weeks with us, our 2 new team

members, Nicole and Brad departed to do

some hiking in Nepal. A wonderful couple,

extremely cooperative and helpful, we were

blessed to have had them with us. Nurse

Linda, Elaine and Dr. Myron left Kathmandu on

Sunday, 18 March for Bangkok with plans to

soon return to Canada. Elsie stayed in Nepal

for a few more weeks to continue pressing on

and monitoring the MMC Nepal projects.

Extreme care is taken on how our donors’

money is being used on MMC projects. Elsie

watches this very well in Nepal.

Details on certain Nepal projects may be

found in the MMC 2012 Nepal Report by Elsie

James.

Raj & Nepal team, Dr. M photographer.

Every year brings new challenges,

people, joy and satisfaction in the work which

MMC teams do. But there are also moments of

sadness, feelings of inadequacy and the

constant desire to do more for more people.

We are grateful for the efforts of our volunteers

at home and abroad, and our donors who

make it possible for MMC to “Care for and

Share with Those in Need”.

Respectfully submitted, 1 October 2012

Elaine and Dr. Myron Semkuley

2012 MEDICAL MERCY CANADA SOCIETY S.E. ASIA MISSION …...Dr. Sheila Poon, optometrist, Calgary...

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Transcript of 2012 MEDICAL MERCY CANADA SOCIETY S.E. ASIA MISSION …...Dr. Sheila Poon, optometrist, Calgary...