Day 2: Bible Study with Youth Leaders & Health Clinic

No Monk-ying around!

 

Now, here's something you don't see everyday!  When we first arrived in Cambodia, I started counting the number of monks I'd seen and lost track after 25.  They are particularly awesome when garbed in their bright orange robes and radiant yellow parasol, and are often seen riding 2-3 at a time on a motobike or in small caravan.  This one particular monk was stopped by this woman (above), perhaps the store owner, and after paying homage fees to the monk, was 'prayed' over.  "They're like walking good luck charms," comments Kevin. 

Bible Study Lesson led by Jim

Jim led the group of youth leaders this morning in a bible study, using Summit's very own James Study!  Jim did a great job going through the first lesson, and while it was somewhat difficult working with a translator, everyone was attentive and responsive; according to Renee, however, it was very difficult to get them to engage in discussion when they first began.  "They (the youth leaders) meet up every Saturday morning for a 2 hour discipleship class, and have daily devotions with Pastor Chantah," says Renee.  Having a strong, dedicated, faithful team is essential to the effectiveness and efficiency of Rahab's House.

During Jim's lesson, I understood what it meant to be of the "same body" and to share in the "same Spirit".  Each of the leaders expressed feelings of frustration and anger during trials; moments of doubt and despair.  All of them were the only Christians in their family, and had been persecuted for their faith from not only their own family members, but within the surrounding community.  Any of this sound familiar in your own life?  I know it does in mine and for some of those whom I lead in my own Life!Group.  It's interesting that while I'd been expecting to encounter God in new ways, it was also wonderful to experience Him in familiar ways through our fellow believers who, although living on the other side of the world and living in much more hostile environments, were partakers and sharers in the same personal struggles and battles that we face. 

Afterward, Jim and I played volleyball with the kids in the lot right outside Rahab's House.  The lot used to be a massive garbage dump before a church team cleaned it up, replaced the hard dirt and rocks with soft sand, and added a volleyball net.  It was a blast playing with the kids!  One girl, Ka-moi, was particularly interesting.  She not only was good at volleyball, but her pronunciation and knowledge of English was, too.  "Are you ready?!" she'd yell.  She even directed where Jim and I should stand!

Health Clinic

Nurse Jane (middle) helping a little girl with her ear infection

The Health Clinic offers free basic medication and assistance to the community.  Needless to say, a free clinic draws in many people and today we received about 60 clients, from babies to the elderly. But this wasn't even close to how busy it normally gets! Visiting from Australia and volunteering in Cambodia for 6 months (since June) is Nurse Jane.  "Last week," says Jane, "we had a team of doctors visit us which included a pediatrician and dentist.  Between all of us, we had seen about 800 people." Ah, that explains why I couldn't understand what someone would say to me and they'd point to their cheeks; they'd just gotten teeth pulled!  As I observed and took notes, Kevin and Jim were promoted to doctorate status.

 

Unfortunately, Jim had forgotten to pack his pocket knife and therefore could not perform brain surgery; however, with only a toothpick and a couple of rubber-bands, he was able to perform successful open heart surgery without even breaking a sweat!  Just kidding!  Although Jim was very eager to cut and amputate if necessary, 90% of these symptoms do not necessarily require medication.  According to Nurse Jane, what many of these villagers lack is the most basic medical knowledge.  "They don't understand that it's normal to have a headache when you haven't slept well or that it's normal for your back to hurt if you're lifting heavy racks of fish every single day.  Much of what they have can also be treated with proper hygiene."  Furthermore, they don't seem to make connections between their symptoms to, say, an accident that they had last week.

"I had one little boy come in who was very feverish," says Jane.  "It wasn't until he was leaving that I          caught the small, bruised cut on his cheek.  I asked his father how he had gotten it, and he said that during the rainy season his son slipped and fell into the water and it was difficult pulling him out.  Clearly, he'd gotten an infection from the water but for the father to have made this kind of connection to how his son was feeling did not even cross his mind."  

What Jane also encourages is informing them of proper ways to manage with pain that don't necessarily require medication.  For example, Jane would show the proper way to lift heavy objects for someone who does heavy-lifting daily.  Because the truth is, most of these people don't need medication; some of them pretend to have a sickness in order to get the drugs, sometimes to sell on the streets.  "I generally am strict with what I give out," says Jane.  "But Pastor Chantah likes freely giving the medicine!"  If you knew Pastor Chantah's heart, this would not come as a surprise; having a 24-hour center available, he's had to take a few people to the hospital at 3am, among many other things he's willingly done to serve this community.

Pastor Chantah and Renee 

 Fortunately, we didn't receive anyone whom we weren't able to help with the exception of this one man who had acquired a gross infection from having knee surgery a few months ago.  He was a skinny man and attached to his small, right leg was a soft-ball sized infection and on top of that, a pus ball the size of a golf-ball!  There was nothing we could do other than give him some antibiotics and pain relievers, and advise him to see the doctor that afternoon.

While Kevin and Jim were busy playing doctor, I stepped outside to listen to country singer Paul Brandt  who was visiting Cambodia as a prospective financial supporter of the new church building that Don is wanting to build.  I admit that I had no idea who he was, even though he was a popular musician in Canada and has a couple of hit songs in the U.S.  He played a couple of songs for the kids who also sang one of their songs to him!  At the same time, girls from the ARC House (the home that securely houses rescued young women and protects them from being re-abducted) were de-licing all of the children.  What an awesome way for these girls to give back to their community!  I am looking forward to visiting ARC on Friday and becoming more familiar with these girls.  One of the girls, Mah-lin, approached me and asked if I was Cambodian because we have "the same skin, eyes, and hair".  Jim was slightly offended that they didn't think he was Cambodian...I can't imagine why.

A Walk Around Phnom Penh

We ate dinner at this nearby restaurant ($13 dinner!  R 4,000 = $1), having fish cakes and short ribs.  The fish cakes were interesting...I wasn't too fond of them because of the texture; it tasted like eating a balloon.  Jim and Kevin seemed to enjoy them, though!

During dinner, we were discussing what it means to go on a trip like this. It's easy for those going overseas to view their trip as a vacation as opposed to a mission.  There's adventure and risk involved; it's dangerous and daring.  But we wouldn't want to be anywhere else than on the "front-line of battle," as Kevin puts it.  As we're walking back to our hotel, I see a bright neon sign which reads, "Snookers Pool & Bar."  Standing in a line outside are young women, dressed to be desirable... and I see in their eyes a longing for freedom; a yearning to hope for better things, a better life.  And I see around me a country corrupted by greed, lust, and a religion that abandons its people to lives "deserving" of them while politicians and police gloat in their sin and choke on their self-righteousness while many starve for want of food and integrity.  To be treated as human beings rather than sex commodities; to be respected as young women and children rather than beaten like animals.  This is the fore-front; this is the mission.   

And it's here, at this moment, that I wouldn't want to be anywhere else.

- Beth Parawan