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I have decided to start this email with a somewhat odd statement.
(I’ll explain shortly.)
What, you may ask, is this strange sentiment that I feel inclined to share???!!! Well …
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It is simply the fact that I am truly happy to report
that we have some financial needs!!!
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Seriously, I’m feeling excited about it right at this moment! I noticed this surprising sensation spring up while I was in the process of writing this email, and I immediately started rewriting. How, you say, did such a thing come to pass? Why am I excited to report financial needs, of all things?
Well, these needs would not exist if the Lord wasn’t opening up multiple, exciting ministry opportunities here in Cambodia!!!! We would need nothing at all if there was no work to be done. As it is, however, opportunities are abundant and we are thrilled to be diving in to the Lord’s work among the wonderful Cambodian people!
Countless times since moving here I have been struck by these words of Jesus in a more poignant way; “I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest.” (John 4:35) The harvest is truly abundant here and there is so much good that can be done for the glory of God.
Over the course of several emails (because who has time for those reeeeally looooong emails?), we will share these ministry efforts with you and explain how you can be a part of what the Lord is doing in Cambodia!
Let us begin with our medical adventures!!!
We have just started holding a monthly medical clinic in the village of Taom. Taom is a small village about 37 miles southwest of Siem Reap. Though this is a fairly short distance, it takes 90 minutes to get there and a good 25 minutes of the journey is over impressively bumpy dirt roads. Taom is home to one of the oldest churches in Cambodia, St. Mary’s Parish, built around 1910 by French missionaries. (Check out this inspiring article about Taom!)
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(My exam station in Taom!)
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Like many villages in Cambodia, this community is primarily made up of poor farming families. It was quite evident during my first clinic in Taom that their low income drastically affects their medical care. Most of these families lack the transportation or funds to travel to nearby clinics. Even when they are able to receive medical care, they can rarely afford the recommended medications, particularly if the medication needs to be taken on an ongoing basis.
Recently, when I met for the second time a woman I had previously given medication to, she informed me that she was only taking half the recommended dose because she wasn’t sure how soon I would return and she didn’t want to run out of medication. I have met severely underweight children whose condition has gone unnoticed, because well-child checks are not routine in Cambodia. I have treated several patients whose primary medical need is simply transportation to a larger city for further work up. An additional circumstance I have encountered multiple times is patients who are unaware of their need for immediate, specialist medical attention. Unfortunately this is often due to poorly trained medical practitioners giving very poor advice. Two such examples are a 4 year old whose leukemia went undiagnosed for over 6 months and a teenager who lost vision in one eye due to an untreated lens rupture and retinal detachment. In such cases, I hope to encourage and enable patients to promptly see the necessary specialist. These examples are but a tiny sample of the needs that can be met by providing medical care to this community!
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This is why we must wait until the rainy season to travel there regularly. As you may imagine, people living in these communities are extremely removed from access to medical care. Additionally, most of them rely on fishing for their livelihood, which provides a small and unreliable income. We are so excited to serve the individuals of this remote location and build up the small Christian community there!
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(Inside the floating church)
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In the beginning, we are keeping our efforts simple (though there are certainly possibilities for expansion in the future!). We are not building any clinics, but are simply utilizing space at the churches, which is actually desirable! We always want our work to be a reflection of our faith and draw others closer to Christ. I love that holding the clinics right at the church physically draws people to God’s home on earth. (I wrote more about this in my latest blog.)
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The aspects of this ministry that currently require financial support are:
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- We provide all medications to patients without cost, so this will be an ongoing expense for the ministry. We are able to purchase the prescription medications locally at excellent prices.
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- This entails hiring a large van and driver for our own transportation to and from the villages, as well as transport for patients who need additional medical care.
Travel to the floating village incurs two additional costs.
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- Because floating villages have become a regular tourist destination, all non-Cambodians must pay an entrance fee to access the area.
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- In addition to van transportation to the Tonle Sap, we must also rent a boat and driver for the remainder of the journey, which is an additional $90.
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Would YOU like to be a part of this medical outreach by a donation that will go directly towards medications or transportation needs???
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Will you join us in prayer for this ministry?
Please pray along with us for the Lord’s guidance concerning:
- Additional communities in which to establish a clinic
- Holding eye clinics and helping patients obtain eye glasses
- Providing lab work for patients
- Getting our own van for transportation
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