Final Days

As in all our trips, the last few days arrive much too quickly with the thought of heading home a poignant reality. After waving a teary farewell to our interpreters, the team made plans for the day. Having less downtime than normal in Siem Reap resulted in the frantic dashing around the markets for last minute bartering and gift buying; beauty salons for relaxing and cleansing massages; and temples to maximize the opportunity for some serenity and appreciation of an amazing ancient culture.

Those of us who have ventured to the temples before were lucky enough to undertake a private tour of the Angkor Children’s Hospital. This paediatric facility in the very centre of Siem Reap has a total of 500 members of staff who provide care for 500-600 children each day. Yes!! each day. This is a phenomenal number of children who receive free health care and treatment in a facility dedicating itself to improving the health and health education of Cambodian families. It has recently become recognized as a teaching facility and provides exchange opportunities for health care professionals from around the world with education provided to the same standard as many developed countries.

All children under the age of 16 years can access the hospital facilities and they provide care for Cambodian children and foreigners at no cost.  Although many of the buildings and systems on the outside may appear simplistic, the dedication to hand hygiene, infection control, nutritional advice, health education provided to families, and the recent introduction of a child life specialist, demonstrate that this facility truly has the best interests of the children at heart.

Our tour included seeing the inpatient wards, where up to 50 children are cared for in rows upon rows of beds with no curtains for privacy between each child.

Whilst the dental clinic was busy today, our tour guide Sar explained the hospital focus was on educating families on how to keep their children well and prevent not only tooth decay, but other illnesses that are easily preventable if education can be provided.

A quick stop by the ICU and neonatal units gave us all goosebumps. Many parents from the Provinces who are unable to pay for the travel to and from the hospital and the food whilst they are there, often present with their child too late for treatment to be successful. This was a very sobering concept, although Sar went on to explain that the social work department is integral in supporting these poorest families that attend.

The social workers have a massive task. They work alongside the child life specialist ensuring the children have activities and distraction during their stay. They provide a cooking demonstration each morning in the cooking area (open fire and clay pots) and promote healthy eating at every opportunity. Their main role appears to be support to the very poor families (they are given a card to be identified as such), with access to a food bank and assistance with clothing and the necessities that are required for any parent who has a sick child in hospital.

Though we often complain, we are so lucky in Australia with the health care facilities, equipment and staffing levels that make us a truly privileged country. However, this beacon of hope for sick children throughout Cambodia offers a vision of sustained progress for paediatric healthcare into the future.

Further information can be found at https://angkorhospital.org

The Road to Siem Reap

With the clinics over, we leave the tranquillity of the villages, with their calm, gentle rhythms and head back to the complexity of modern Cambodia.  The talk in the van is of the patients seen and medical conditions observed, “Talking Shop” as we nurse widowers would call it.

As the landscape rolls past the window, my mind drifts; I remember the clinics differently. We have travelled to the heart of Cambodia in more ways than we realise.  It’s too easy to romanticise the picture postcard beauty of the villages we have seen. For the people who live there, life is hard; every day is unrelenting, back breaking toil and their needs are great.  To our materialistic eyes they have precious little, but we overlook the fact that what they do have is still precious.

At each clinic we are greeted by children keen to see what’s going on.  Friendly and curious, many try to practice their English on us.  To the side the older people wait patiently.  The pastor may offer a formal welcome or might arrange the order of the villagers to be seen; a late arrival may be ushered respectfully to the front of the queue.

After the initial formality, the clinic relaxes to find its own pace. The chatter amongst the ladies catching up on gossip. The spirited children running around, so friendly and curious. Such beautiful smiles on cheeky faces, their eyes bright and trusting, without suspicion or prejudice.  The older girls closely scrutinise the nurses. Checking them out from head to toe; their hair, their clothes, envious of their height and fuller figures. They shield their mouths as they whisper to each other and erupt with embarrassed giggling when you catch them pointing in mid conversation, but most just sit patiently and watch.  Westerners don’t visit these villages, so the villagers are intrigued by our big noses and ‘tom tom’ (big) backsides and are interested to find out what kind of people we are.

Chloe, with her pale complexion and thick red hair is always a source of great interest, particularly with the children who naturally gravitate towards her.  Like some Celtic pied piper, she soon has clinic buddies following her wherever she goes.

In the van the nurses continue to talk about their patients, remembering the lady with the heart condition or the baby with the burnt arm.  I remember the laughter.  The warm infectious laughter that ripples across the nursing station as the patient and nurses talk via the interpreter. Apparently, husbands are the same the world over and are the source of much entertainment for their wives. I don’t understand a word but it’s magical. You hear the pride in their voice, the laughter in their words and the enthusiasm of their nods and gestures; so much gets said without the confusion of words. This is a pure heart to heart.

The Pastor tells us of his hopes for his village and of looking forwards to a brighter future.  I listen intently but have so many troubling questions.  With change there is always a price that must be paid and it’s the poorest that carry the heaviest burden.   As Cambodia rushes to modernise I can only hope that these Cambodians will benefit and rise out of poverty.  I admire the Pastor and the strength of his convictions, but I lack his faith.  New roads are taking his people to the new factories, regular work with regular pay.  It is still unending toil; rice fields have been swapped for sewing machines.

Siem Reap is a resort city; a party city full of western tourists like us, but the closer we get the heavier my heart feels.  I feel so torn, so conflicted.  To grow, this country needs money and tourist dollars are a good thing, right?  This place is brash and loud, it’s not the Cambodia I have come to love. In this place the exquisite beauty of the Apsara dance is served up with a side salad and cold beer. In modern Cambodia, everything is for sale: its rainforest, its rivers, its needy population and its innocence; you just need to haggle a price.

I warned the team at the start that this trip would be difficult and at some point your will cry.  My moment was the road to Siem Reap.

I will leave you with a quote from Joseph Mussomeli, a former U.S. Ambassador to Cambodia.

“Cambodia is a dangerous country, you will fall in love with it, and it will break your heart”. 

Last day of clinic (Battambang)

Heading into the start of our last clinic at Battambang, we had a few hours of time to spare.  Socheat had discovered it was Bryony and Troy’s wedding anniversary whilst we have been in Cambodia, so she arranged for them to be dressed in traditional Khmer wedding outfits, with a party to be held on our evening of arrival. Everyone got into the celebratory spirit, including the hotel staff, and a great evening was had by all.  As we dispersed to our rooms for a refreshing massage, the reality of the next day being our last clinic hit home, although we were keen to do what we do best and provide some care to the locals that would venture to our clinic.

It was a bittersweet morning, knowing that it was our last clinic here in Cambodia for this trip. We all woke up relatively refreshed and ready to face the day at full speed. After another bus trip filled with singing, laughing and chats about what we have already seen or recounts of previous trips we have all been on, we arrived somewhat early to the clinic from Socheats hometown of Krong Battambang. For me (Nicole), Chloe, Danny and Troy, it was our first time getting to see the beautiful area Socheat is from, and the area and its people are so welcoming and warm hearted. As is with most of the clinics we go to it was a day filled with beautiful little ones with great big smiles, and family, after family so happy to see us; even if it was just for a chat with someone new or a catch up as Caz or Heidi who have seen them in previous years. Bryony and I were teamed up for the day, and although  I was struck out for a little bit due to a small bout of vomiting (my first of the trip, lucky!) Bryony held the fort down at our table like a trouper putting her busy ED skills to use. Michael provided some first aid while I laid on the floor for about an hour, getting me fit quickly to get back in the game. Rachael and Caz headed up another treatment table, while Heidi held her own running a table by herself.

As usual, there were many interesting patients and stories that crossed our paths. From the 102-year-old man who had a walking stick which had been passed through his family for generations; to an old chap who had a false leg (from a landmine explosion in the Pol Pot times), the humbling smiles, thanks and blessings streamed across our stations. Heidi fell in love with a 6-year-old young girl who had an obvious heart problem, but her family have been proactive at accessing treatment form the Children’s Hospital in Siem Reap.  Caz and Rach were approached by a young man of 31 who had some interesting tattoos; one being a scorpion on his arm. Interested by his body art, Rach queried the reason for his choice of tattoo and we then got to learn his story. The man had a long history of being affected by mental health issues which appeared to stem from his violent upbringing and traumatic childhood. As in society worldwide, mental health illnesses are often associated with isolation and unnecessary community judgement. His scorpion tattoo was a symbol from him to be identified as a good man within his village so that he would not feel ostracised.  Bryony’s station saw a steady run of patients requiring blood pressure checking and Danny was soon upskilled as her AIN (assistant in nursing).

Our morning wasn’t crazy as past days have been, but it was still a steady pace. After another beautiful FEAST, and I mean feast, was put on for lunch by the pastor of the church we were at, the clinic quickly died down and eventually we packed up. Before we departed to do some exploring we donated a big suitcase of reusable sanitary pads, underwear and ladies bags (beautiful little bags done up with a range of bathroom things) to the women, which was a really touching moment to see that they were so excited and grateful for the things.

Our post clinic trip involved a drive up a mountain in the back of rather suspect ute with what I would say are questionable tyres and brakes to see Heidi’s favourite temple; Mountain Temple, which was stunning! With breathtaking views over the hills and houses below, the excitement quickly became upsetting as we went further through the area and realised its much darker history just around the corner, left over from the Khmer Rouge. A little further up the mountain was another viewpoint and monkeys! So many cheeky monkeys; very cute indeed. We then quickly went back down the mountain to get to see the bats come out of the cave, but we forgot to double check the timing and decided we didn’t want to wait for over an hour to see them. We loaded back into the vans and headed back to the hotel for a final debrief and pizza for dinner! Yum! This was a great last day of clinic work in Krong Battambang.

Some well needed R & R

Between clinics 7 and 8, some well needed R & R was had by all in Battambang. As you can see from the following videos, much of this R & R was spent in the pool, working on their professional synchronised swimming/diving routines!! 

Who does it best? The boys or the girls? ... 

Unfortunately, an inevitability result of all this splashing around, is the ageing effects on your hands. Haha! According to Bryony, her hands aged by 300 years! 

Finding Joy in Butbitsbinn Kampong Leang

Today started as most clinic days do. A quick breakfast at Sovannaphum in Kampong Chhnang before departing for our usual sojourn across the Tonle Sap River by boat, to the remote province of Butbitsbinn Kampong Leang (a place we have never visited before). After a sweaty hefting of supplies out of vans onto the boat, all knowing this was our seventh and second-last clinic this trip, we all welcomed Socheat whipping out her portable karaoke equipment. We were thoroughly entertained by Bryony’s dramatic rendition of Celine Dion’s, “My Heart Will Go On” (somehow becoming the theme song of this trip), followed by Laura’s attempt at rapping out Post Malone’s “Sunflower”, inspired by the impossible field of sunflowers we encountered lining the riverbank. It was as if we all were subconsciously predicting the sombre day ahead.

Across the river we were met by ‘stretch’ tuk tuks and soon arrived at our destination; a little church nestled in the beautiful countryside of Butbitsbinn Kampong Leang. Being a Sunday, the clinic began with a communal mass, hosted by the local pastor, followed by hymns sung for us by children from the village. Initially the turnout was small but as word spread throughout the province, we were inundated with people in desperate need. It soon dawned on all of us that this was by far the poorest area we have visited on the trip so far.

Malnutrition, dehydration, gastro-intestinal conditions, and scabies were rife, accompanied by heavy hearts and harrowing stories of their daily lives. As always, these were hardest to hear from the tiny ones and the elderly, who were the ones that were suffering the most. Many of the beautiful children we treated do not go to school but stay home or work to care for their elders. We also treated many children from a small orphanage in the area who only have friends a few years older or younger than themselves for a family.

 One of the saddest and most shocking things we saw at our station was a 15-year-old girl who had broken her upper spine a year ago and was not properly treated. Her back now protrudes outwards in such a way that she cannot walk for longer than 10 minutes and will never be able to sleep comfortably or work. If she had had access to treatment at the Siem Reap Children’s Hospital, her life could be very different. Instead, pain is her life. Unfortunately, in these remote, socio-economically disadvantaged locations, access to this treatment requires travel and money. Both of which are luxuries here.

After this particular patient, Rachael asked Sibimol to write ‘Joy’ in Khmer or her arm. It became our theme for the day at our station. All three of us donned the marking, because aside from what little we could do for them medically, we felt we could also give them this from our hearts. Each station found their own way of doing the same, and it was definitely a day that even the strongest of our team needed to take a moment privately or in the company of someone supportive.

So, there we were, clustered close in the 38-degree heat, trying to keep on our masks of joy in the face of such horrific poverty. Rachael was operating her own station that day, so Laura became her AIN (assistant in nursing). Rachael worked her magic, devoting herself to her patients while Laura administered wormers, doled out double doses of vitamins and performed comical, yet thorough oral hygiene and scabies eradication demonstrations through borderline interpretive dance. The children were in stitches and broad smiles and deep chuckles came from mothers, fathers, and the elderly.

Inevitably the clinic ended, always the hardest part of the day as we have to say goodbye to beautiful people who we wish we could help more. But this time, we could. We were bequeathed with a very generous donation from some people close to all our hearts at the beginning of the trip; a provision of water filters. In this area, people have no access to water other than that from the river, the very same place they wash their clothes, dishes and bodies. This water is also heavily polluted from general waste.

It was clear from the extreme health conditions we observed due to these practices, that this province was the most in need of the incredible donation we carried with us. This decision was further confirmed when the pastor’s wife told Caz and Heidi in a quiet moment that she never imagined any foreigners would ever visit to help them as they felt they weren’t worth it. When the water filters were offered, the pastor, his wife, and district elders were overwhelmed with joy. It felt like our adopted theme for the day had become realised.

The Old Man and The Beach

An old man was walking down a beach littered with flotsam and jetsam in the wake of a storm. In the distance, he sees a small boy sitting on the sand, tossing sea creatures he finds washed up on the shore back into the safety of the sea. The old man looks to his left, where the beach stretches far into the distance, then to his right where it also stretches almost out of sight, seeing thousands of more in need of rescue. He asks the boy, “There are so many, why bother? Do you really think that makes a difference?”. The boy gently returns another little creature back into the cool calm of the water and replies, “It did to that one”.

With Joyful hearts, Rachael and Laura.

Thank you, wise old Mr. Witter, for your inspiration and holding us together in our own times of need. 

Oudong Village and Bright Futures School

The CWC team had been introduced to Oudong village and Bright Futures school during last year’s trip and we were all excited and keen to meet Sim the principle again. The drive to Oudong was filled with anticipation as the ‘old’ team relayed stories of the beautiful village and how Sim and his team were committed to providing education to as many children as possible. Caz was particularly excited as she had been gifted with old school stationery supplies from one of her gym buddies (27kg in total) and the team was looking forward to these making a big difference to the school and students.

The road to the school meandered through the bustling market stalls and temples of Oudong, which was once the capital city of Cambodia (Phnom Penh became the capital after a war with Thailand approximately 300 years ago and has been the capital ever since). Our interpreters explained during the drive that is was so busy in Oudong as a Buddhist Celebration day was underway. This was evidenced by the colourful stalls and throngs of people swarming in and around the area.

The clinic commenced quickly when we arrived, and the village chief attended for some health care from Caz and Nicole. He appeared to be a generous and kind man who wanted the best for the families in his village. On chatting with him, we discovered the village consists of 129 families, many of whom are very poor; a common theme on our travels. The main source of income for the families is farming, followed by construction work and fishing.  All the teams were visited by many grandparents who care for their grandchildren in the village; their parents live and work in Phnom Penh where there are more opportunities available for employment. The grandparents (many very, very old), remaining in the village and looking after their grandchildren (some caring for up to 8 at once).

Heidi worked solo for the day and managed to care for a hefty total of patients. Rachael and Bryony were tag teaming under the school balcony, also busily assessing and treating a steady flow of locals.  We can’t tell you of all the wonderful people we treat but some that stuck with us from Oudong include a lady who is HIV positive. Her husband had left her when he discovered her diagnosis. She was particularly upset, but Rachael and Bryony were able to provide her with some TLC, hugs and basic treatment not related to her HIV status.  The team have noticed that HIV appears to be more prevalent across more provinces this year. Those affected can access free treatment through the government hospitals and we always encourage this.

Caz and Nicole saw a 73-year-old lady with sore on her hands from basket weaving. After treating her she returned to the team with her baskets which we were able to purchase at a bargain price. A favourite of the day was the 84-year-old lady who attended with her large Kroma swept over her shoulder, with her handbag in tow; tres chic! When we told her that she resembled a model from France, she was so excited and informed the team she was attending her great-granddaughters wedding that day.  Due to the holiday, there was no school happening and the team thought this was the reason for lack of hustle and bustle at the site.

The support squad were again on point rotating through the teams, topping up table supplies and assisting when the teams needed time out. Troy has made sure we have lots of video footage this year and recorded a time lapse of not only the clinic, but the journey there. The whole team is keen to see the final results, which will form profound and special memories for us all.

Lunch was prepared by Sim’s wife and again we were truly spoiled with delicious fried chicken, fish soup and veggies. Lunch, however, took a more sombre and sad turn as Sim informed us that the school has lost its main overseas sponsor.  What does this mean? The school has been charging for their 60 students, $5 per month for children to attend all day (lunch included) and they can stay until their parents/grandparent’s finish work (effectively being a safe option for after school care). For the poorer families the cost is $3, and the orphans can attend for free.

As principle, Sim earns $200 per month, other teachers earn $180 per month and the cook and cleaners paid $100 per month.  Unfortunately, the loss of the main sponsor has resulted in a big reshuffle and restructure for the school. Sim has had to raise the cost of schooling to $10 per month with families also required to send a lunch for their children.  This is not achievable for many of the Oudong families and has resulted in many of the children being withdrawn from school. There is currently only one teacher, Sim has not received a salary for a month and the cook and cleaners have lost their jobs. Until other sponsors can be sourced which can offer sustained financial support to the school, Sim and his team are restricted as to what they can provide to their students. 

This news has hit the team hard. Sim is a genuine man and his family are committed to offering the Khmer children in and around Oudong a safe schooling environment. We believe he can revive the school and we want to share his story in the hope that one of our readers may have a contact that can offer a lifeline to the school. 

Off the Hook

Russian markets  

After a decent sleep-in and a good brekkie it was time to check out the famous Russian Markets; so we all hopped in the tuk tuks and headed on over. We never tire of the tuk tuks, all the sights, sounds, smells and buisness of Phnom Penh is such an assault on the senses. The markets are a Cambodian cultural emersion; so many different things to see at every turn that we didn’t know where to start. Everything was so cheap it was difficult to haggle, it was most definitely a fine art which we have yet to learn.

After an agreed meeting time we had lunch up the road at “Daughters of Cambodia”. They are an amazing charity that take in sex workers to get them out of that line of work, give them a much better future  by upskilling them and giving them a real purpose to their lives. They sell an assortment of different products that the girls make which goes back through the system to help other vulnerable women. The restaurant is very environmentally conscious and try to minimise waste, which was a refreshing change. 

The rest of the day was spent by getting supplies for everyone, relaxing for a little before a really nice dinner back in town.

One of the classic purchases made at the markets was a kromer, which everyone has many opinions on how to wear. Here are our “101 best ways to use a Kromer”.

1. Scarf

2. Sweet rag

3. Head band

4. Sling

5. Tourniquet

6. Cold patch

7. Cat toy

8. Tissue

9. Bottle opener

10. Baby carrier

11. Glasses holder

12. Hand wipe

13. Face mask

14. N95 particle mask

15. Smell protection

16. Cuffs

17. Whip

18. Stubby holder

19. Burp cloth

20. Shopping bag

21. Curtain

22. Toilet paper

23. Oven mits

24. Under wear

25. Nappy

26. Stretching

27. Bandage

28. Dog lead

29. Tea towel

30. Dog collar

31. Towel

32. Skipping rope

33. Table runner

34. Cushion

35. Screen cleaner

36. Art

37. Sweet corn holder

38. Tickler

39. Chamois

40. Bath mat

41. Blindfold

42. Eye mask

43. Long load indicator

44. Flag

45. Blanket

46. Bandana

47. Draft stopper

48. Suitcase identifier

49. Swing

50. Packing gauze

51. Splint holder

52. Compression bandage

53. Surgical drape

54. Do not disturb

55. Gift

56. Cape

57. Magical reveal

58. Picnic blanket

59. Tree trail marker

60. Mop head

61. Belly belt

62. Floor protector

63. Ear muffs

64. Ear phone retainer

65. Bike tassel

66. Sling shot

67. Fly swat

68. Bull fight

69. Turbin

70. Baby toys

71. Baby swaddle.

72. Bunting

73. Egg catching

74. Child restraint on motor bike

75. Clothes line

76. Cow lead

77. Sushi roller

78. Tie

79. Harvest basket

80. Dramatic exit

81. Fashion statement

82. Mummification

83. Craveat

84. Dog poo bag

85. Hands free phone use

90. Back scratcher

91. Flying fox 

92. Bag strap

93. Rhythmic gymnastics

94. Menstrual pad

95. Three legged race

96. Change table cover

97. Food protector

98. Fishing net

99. Raffle prize

100. Bird cage cover.

101. Hide Voldemort. 

We hope you enjoyed this list and that you can use some of these ideas to help you with your everyday life and experiences. It was a ripper day and we are keen for the next one.

Cheers from the lads, Troy and Danny. 

A lovely day at Steng Menchay...

We started the day at the Glorious Hotel and Spa in Kampong Thom, where we all enjoyed a big buffet breakfast. Well, everyone else had a big breakfast, I had watermelon and dry coco pops; gotta love being vegan overseas! Luckily for us the vans were already packed up with all the pharmacy goods, so all we had to do was gather our bags and pack into the vans to head back to Phnom Penh.

One of the vans spent the three-hour journey as a karaoke band, smashing out hit, after hit with Socheat’s karaoke machine. We had a quick lunch close by before making our way to Steng Menchay with Mr Rith as our trusted #1 tuk tuk driver!

The clinic was expected to be short and sweet, but the flow of patients never slowed. Heidi and Bryony were ecstatic that they could fill their hug tanks with baby cuddles; both making sure that they were never not holding a bubba. Rachael and Nicole worked tirelessly together. One patient they saw was an eighty-year-old man who was very poor and very unwell, running a high temperature and had a poor airway as he was suffering from TB. He was also almost completely deaf which made their consult difficult, but they gave him some pain relief, and while it doesn’t cure him, his smile and gratitude made their very upsetting case a little better and well worth the heartache.

I sat with Caz so that I could be her runner as she has been working solo the last two clinics. She provided care for a whopping eighty-three people all by herself! We had one darling lady who was seventy-three and had Parkinson’s disease. She said her shakes started three years ago and she didn’t know why. It made my heart so sad when Caz had to tell her that there was no cure for that.

The clinic finished when we started to run out of medications and such, so we quickly packed up and left. As we were leaving though, a very old and frail couple came to see us and we gave them what we could, but many were upset that we couldn’t do more for them. I wish we could just wave a wand and help everyone.

As soon as we sat down in the tuk tuk to leave, the regular afternoon rain clouds that had silently been brewing, decided to say hello, and the skies opened. Mum, Caz, myself and our three translators got driven in the zipped up tuk tuk, which becomes a bit like a portable sauna when it’s all closed up. Rain was quickly filling up the potholes in the roads, and Mr Rith didn’t always miss them, with mysteriously muddy water sloshing up and narrowly missing our legs.

Later on, Mr Rith took us to see his people and his home. We took them a 50kg bag of rice which Mr Rith organised into smaller bags for the other families, as well as scabies soaps and toothbrushes. Mum thought it would be a good idea for us to all see where and how people live, so we can understand who it is that we are helping. It’s hard to grasp the kind of lives they live because we only see them in the clinics and not their homes. I felt really upset to see Mr Rith’s street and their homes, he is such a sweet and gentle man and it’s so difficult to see how poor they all truly are.

We then made our way to Jars of Clay for a big dinner with Socheat and her lovely family, as well as Sorphany and Sibimol, which is always fun. Cynthia, Socheat’s youngest daughter enjoyed a nutritious meal of pancakes which we all envied. It was a relatively early night for us, and I prayed for a sleep where I wouldn’t be woken up by mum’s lovely snoring (I wasn’t)!

I’m so grateful to finally be in this beautiful country to see why my family loves it so much; I completely understand now. It is a truly incredible experience.

Chloe 😊

Glorious Kampong Thom

The morning of the fourth clinic started early; the faint calls of Happy Birthday from the bar next door still lingering on. A Caz speciality coffee (Thanks Billy’s!!) was necessary before the task of loading up our vans with medical supplies - luckily our brilliant van drivers are well versed in the luggage tetris that this requires.

Pulling up at the Kampong Thom First Baptist Church, I knew we were in for a treat; a beautiful community where people came to greet us as soon as the van door was opened, and all pitched in to help us carry supplies. We were set up in record time and ready to hit the ground running.

An efficient numbering system and microphone announcement meant we were able to work through the crowds. We estimate that we treated around three hundred people, with Caz managing a whopping ninety-five patients working as a single officer! Rachael and Heidi became Dr Pimple Popper with abscesses and boils to lance, being cruel to be kind, and making sure the children get lots of stickers and cuddles afterwards. One young girl, visibly self-conscious about a periorbital cellulitis with a drainable collection appeared at the table. She would not let the team see her face, attempting to cover it with her hand. Following the drainage, there was a marked improvement in this young girl’s demeanour smiling with the team and playing with the other children. Once again, giving us even more motivation for the work we are doing here. If left untreated these simple infections can spread throughout the body leaving young, vulnerable children at risk of becoming very unwell.

Another patient of note was a twenty-five-year-old man with cerebral palsy. His mother brought him to the clinic, unsure of why he acted the way he did, concerned that she had done something wrong during her pregnancy to make him this way. She had no idea about his condition and what it entails. With assistance from our wonderful interpreter (who is also a nurse) we were able to explain his condition and his behaviour, plus provide reassurance to this poor mother who for the last twenty-five years has carried this burden.  Upon leaving the clinic, she was very thankful that we had taken the time to explain and hopefully left with some understanding of cerebral palsy.

Caz was also happy to see a previous patient who on the last trip came to the clinic shortly after her husband’s death and managed to make both Caz and Gabby cry. This trip, the lady looked healthy and well and remembered the team fondly.

The rest of the clinic flew by; a blur of babies, cheeky children, adults and elderly. Glasses all gone and pharmacy stores low it was time to pack up. A group photo ensures we won’t forget faces or the stories we heard; forever grateful that these beautiful people allowed us into their lives once again.

The night finished with a dip in the hotel pool where we bumped into some familiar faces; our previous interpreters, Khema and Sokeng, and their children. Dinner was a traditional Cambodian meal – a cheeseburger… a well-deserved treat!

Old Friends and New Villages (Clinics 1-3)

Our first three days of clinic have been spent with our old friend Sarorn and his family providing health care in and around Trabek Village. For those who have followed our adventures from previous years, you’ll know that the clinics with Sarorn can be (mostly) busy, sweaty chaos and we see close to 400 people a day.

Something strange must have been in the air……the locals, maybe sensing the afternoon storms would mean travel to our location would be wet and muddy perhaps deterred them from attending. Either that or as we hoped to think, they were not as sick as when we have visited before and had no need for our assistance. Something that is great to see.

With the newbies settling in over the three days to what is required in setting up for the day, tables were stacked, and pharmacy supplies stocked;

“Super organised pharmacy in the most disorganised setting” Troy

The glasses were prepared for those in need and although initial frustrations were felt in communicating what was needed when it came to long or short-sighted glasses, by day three, a system had been worked out that meant many happy customers were leaving the spec table.

The team was able to get down to business and start seeing patients quickly and the experiences of the old ducks were soon felt by the new team in how different it can be connecting, communicating and providing health care in remote Cambodia. The cases that required more attention ebbed and flowed throughout the days, and details were kept of those who will require our help to access more intense hospital care in the next few weeks. Many of the health problems experienced by Cambodians are not dissimilar to those in our home country, although theirs are bourn through much greater hardship. It is always humbling to be able to offer even the most basic of healthcare, knowing it will have a positive impact on their life.

We know from past experiences that balls and bubbles always go down a treat with the children, so it was great that Nicole got a cheeky purchase in at the market on the way out to the village.  That combined with the parachute donated from Australia ensured the kids were not disappointed.  Their constant presence and smiling, cheeky faces ensured many a heart melted.  Even the young boy on bamboo crutches managed to participate in the game of soccer.

The team was ill prepared for the sudden storm that blew in from the south. The skies darkened as bruised and sullen storm clouds obscured the light of day. In a matter of moments, thunderbolts and lightening! (very, very frightening!!), followed by a severe downpour. The temperature mercifully dropped and whilst the team relished the respite from the humidity, the bogging of the bus had commenced.  The wheels on the bus went round and round, round and round, round and round, but the bus stayed firmly in place. Two hours later, with the assistance of a local truck driver, a bale of hay and some elbow grease, we were safely on our way, muddy boots in tow.

Visiting Sarorn is always a high point on our trip and his family ensure we are always well fed. His mum did not disappoint as Danny’s four bowls will attest.  The array of soups, greens and fruit provided for our lunches each day meant we left the villages with our hearts and tummies full to the brim. 

The team reciprocated with a well-earned dinner after the last clinic and we treated Sarorns family to a meal at the Mekong View restaurant.  The team embraced titanic karaoke, however, as soon as mother Witter unleashed the pipes, the music stopped abruptly…..(completely understandable).  Although our voices were not on point, the views certainly were.

We are truly lucky to be part of this team and our return to this beautiful country has reaffirmed that the time and effort we spend fundraising and collecting donations, really does help and improve the lives of the locals here.

Day 1 (oops sorry it's taken so long...)

This blog post is a bit different to our normal, and gives a real insight into how each new member found their first day…

After two flights, punctuated by a hazy layover in Singapore Airport where we grabbed a few hours of sleep on the floor of the airport lounge, we really weren’t fresh on our first day in Phnom Penh. We breezed through immigration and headed straight for our hotel, La Lune, to drop off our luggage and supplies before hitting the ground running.

Every year the first timers of the group are sent to the Choeung Ek Geneocidal Centre, commonly known as ‘The Killing Fields’ and the Tuol Sleng Genocidal Museum, on the site of the S-21 Camp. Heidi and Caz feel strongly that it is important to visit these places, however horrific, to provide some context about the history of the people we will be interacting with during our time in Cambodia. This year, there are five of us new to the group. Rachael, who is on her sixth trip, put up her hand to be our ‘support person’ on our visit.  She was amazing. At the Killing Fields, Rachael encouraged us to do the audio tour, that guides you past 19 important sites with in-depth explanation of what occurred there. We were also encouraged to take our time and go at our own pace. We all took her advice, dispersing as a group and wandering the site as dark rain clouds gathered overhead. When we had all finished our tour, we reconvened as a group, sheltering from the rain in a small café for a quick snack with Mr Rith (No. 1 Tuk Tuk driver!!) before setting off for the S-21 Museum. Of course, each of us all had a very individual experience on this day…

Chloe Hindmarsh

“ I found our first day very heavy, having heard about the Killing Fields many times before from my mum, my sister and my nan, I felt like I had a pretty good idea of what to expect, but to actually be there and to feel the energy of the place was really not something you can be prepared for. The Killing Tree was something I hadn’t heard of before and so to see the place where so many children and babies were murdered was really confronting. Of course, the entire place is full on, every stop doing the audio tour brought something heart breaking, but for some reason the Killing Tree really got me. I was definitely not prepared for Tuol Sleng. Rachael warned us it would be confronting and told us why she wouldn’t be walking through it with us, but I still wasn’t mentally prepared for the dark, heavy energy of that place. I cried in the rooms with the pictures of people’s faces. They were so young. So many kids. It was beyond confronting to see just the thousands of kids who died before I was even alive. And, for them to all have died so violently. Oh it just broke my heart! There’s no way to explain the gravitas of this place, no way to explain how it affects you. I chose not to do the audio tour of the S-21 camp as I found the Killing Fields almost too much, and I knew I wouldn’t have coped well to do both in one day. I found the atmosphere and the history I could see to be educational enough.”

Laura Anderson

“Slightly sleepless and travel weary from our long trip, I wasn’t in the headspace I would have necessarily chosen to be in to visit the Choeung Ek Geneocidal Centre. Many countries I have travelled through have sites devoted to acknowledging the historical atrocities that have occurred there and I believe if you are really invested in making it a learning experience one should be mentally prepared. That is, as prepared as one can be. This is my first time in Cambodia; however, I am aware of what happened here under the Khmer Rouge Regime, so for me it was not as deeply shocking as it may be for one going in completely unaware of the brutalities that occurred in this place. If I had to use one word to describe my experience of the day it would be reflective. I reflected on how something so horrific could not shock me so deeply because we have seen similar horrors played out in other places throughout history. This is, horribly, a part of humanity. And not only in history, similar things are being carried out right now in a few countries around the world. I observed the various behaviour and emotional responses of both my teammates, and other tourists who were visiting the site and how much this varied. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, I thought about what this might mean for the people I would be connecting with on this trip. A hell like that experienced here isn’t something that simply exists in the past, it is one that continues to exist for Cambodians both physically, in the form of poverty that is in part a by-product of what happened under the Khmer Rouge, and spiritually. And yet, somehow they continue with grace.”

Nicole Dunne

“Today for me, personally was by far one of the most emotional things I have ever done. I knew what happened here was horrific but to see it in person, where it happened, to stand where these people took their last breaths made me feel every possible emotion all at once. Mass “graves” (I feel like the word grave is not what these are), and the tree where children were beaten to their death, completely innocent of any wrongdoing was horrific. At the S-21 Camp, torture was the main focus and blood stains are still visible on the floor. This was once a school, a place of learning, life and hope. It is now filled with room after room of photos of the victims of one man’s cruel idea of how Cambodia should be. While I was there, I was able to sit and talk with two survivors of this camp and listening to their stories broke me. It took every inch of strength I had to listen and try and hold myself together. But I wanted to know, I wanted to understand. Out of the thousands and thousands held here, how only 23 survived this hell on earth. Experiencing these things changes your outlook on the world and just how lucky we are at home.”

Danny Pulbrook

“I found the day very confronting. However very relevant to provide context to the people we are trying to help and what they have been through. The audio narration at the Killing Fields was really helpful in providing relevant and contextual information to provide a better understanding of what happened there. I felt nothing good came from this and it made me angry and frustrated. At the S-21 camp, seeing each room with the actual bed, chains and photos of how the victims were horribly murdered affected me more than most things. It is hard to understand how this country went through all of this and is still so corrupt. I feel like there should be more change.”

Troy Old

“The fact that even after years at the Killing Fields you can still physically see human bones coming out of the ground without needing to dig, and boxes out displaying bones collected over the years made the reality set in that these were real living, breathing people with lives and families. At the S-21 Camp, with the walls and walls of photos of before and after the brutal murders and beatings that happened there, really hit home for me and made me feel extremely uncomfortable seeing such graphic details. Being able to put a face to the name of the people who did these horrific things made me annoyed at the fact all the unnecessary murders were able to continue for so long.”

Connect with Cambodia 2019 trip - we can’t wait!!!

​So...it’s been some time since our last blog post...

Well our next trip is less than 2 weeks away. This year’s Connect With Cambodia trip is May 10th - 24th and we can’t wait to be back in our second home, seeing old friends and villages we’ve been to before, as well as meeting new people and seeing new villages. We have most of our regulars travelling with us again this year, apart from Gabby (who is expecting her first child) and Di. Both will be sadly missed. But..we do have many newbies this year, which you will get to meet during our updates, photos, and blog posts this year.

Preparations have begun, starting to get donations and travel stuff sorted.

Keep an eye on this space to hear about our 2019 trip! We can’t wait!!!

Days off at last.

On completing our clinic itinerary the team were treated to a few days rest in Siem Reap. Once again the newbies to the team decided a trip to the temples was in order and so the alarm was set for an early start (4am) so they could catch the glorious sunrise over Angkor Wat.

The temple team were treated to a great sunrise and then spent a few hours exploring the ancient ruins, receiving Buddhist blessings and essentially enjoying the opportunity for quiet reflection in this sacred site. The team returned exhausted to the town after a more western style lunch and spent time resting in the afternoon to recoup for the evening.

The lifelong team members in the meantime had spent the morning shopping (of course) and several splendid bargains were found along with goodies for our fundraising for over the next year… hint hint. The shopping (and melting in the markets) continued into Saturday as all the team hunted for last minute bargains and the majority headed off to treat themselves for some much needed beautification and cleansing. The Lemongrass Garden Spa had their work cut out with body scrubs, massages and facials and the team were positively glowing for the evening by the end.

We had our final team meal and debrief then settled to finish packing and crash into bed as we had early flights to catch.  Once again, this has been a trip of ups and downs, laughter and tears but most importantly connecting with Cambodia, and we are all keen to see how some of the families we have helped fare over the next few months.

Until next time, Chum Riplea. Xx

P.S. In case you are wondering, these are just some of the people that needed extra assistance from us during the trip and who we provided extra funds to:

12 yo boy taken to hospital with a crush injury to his finger. Treated and discharged after 4 days in hospital.

11 yo boy taken to hospital with cellulitis to his leg from a cut with steel. Treated with intravenous antibiotics in hospital.

4 yo boy with a swollen testicle and his grandfather with an abscess both taken to hospital for treatment.

3 yo boy with a hernia taken to the Siem Reap Children’s Hospital and had his surgery the day after.

A lady we met in Siem Reap  with diabetes - money left to provide transport to hospital to access free medication.

All the above were left money for food, drink and comfort measures whilst away from their homes.

Socheat  

Sibimol

Sophany

Buntha

And so it comes to an end…….for this year anyway.

Our final clinic of this trip led us to the city of Siem Reap and a visit to a very poor village on the outskirts of a bustling tourist mecca, in rice growing country. After a hasty lunch, fried noodles and egg (sourced by Socheat one of our canny translators for 75c each) we started a busy afternoon clinic. The clinic was focussed around the older people in the village and so some of the team took cheeky opportunities to sneak out and play with the children - bubbles the obvious choice to raise a smile and laughter amongst them.

Once again the team encountered the most beautiful locals and some emotional tales of hardship that perpetuate these remote villages and communes. Several members of the team were once again left in tears as we tried to understand how some of the families manage to survive their situations.

The boy in Gab’s shorts - a bit baggy, but clean and functional! 

One clever young lady sneaked in her 3 year old cousin and literally pulled down his shorts in front of the team to show the most enormous hernia. On discussing between the interpreters, team and the cousin it became apparent that the family were actually homeless and this was why the mum had not wanted to come herself as she was embarrassed. The team, true to form rallied round and soon had compiled a bag of belongings for the boy and mum from donations, as well as Gab and Rach donating some of their own clothes. We also negotiated with our host the best option to get the young boy to hospital. It was decided the team would take the boy to Siem Reap Children's Hospital and at the end of the clinic, this is what happened. He was safely presented with his mum and some funds to provide them with food and drink for a few days. Our interpreter Socheat will keep us up to date. (We found out the next day that he was having surgery in the morning which is great news!)

We finally made our way to our hotel and after showering we headed off for a final team dinner. It has been once again a blast of a trip and the team have done such an amazing job. We are looking forward to a few days R and R in Siem Reap and will leave our final blog for this year before we head home.

Day 12- Changing travel plans

We started the day with a welcomed sleep in and breakfast at the hotel (cappuccino and all). A few hearts were broken (Caz) when we found out that the bamboo train was temporarily out of service (due to construction of a major road) and we would have to jump back in the van to travel to Sroloav Village. However, for the Cambodian people, this means that a new highway is being built which will aid in improving the access to these communities.

​On arrival to Sroloav (a new village for CWC) the team had to traverse across a mud-built bridge with our clinic supplies to reach the community hall.

We were soon set up and ready to go. The morning continued at a steady pace, with the team seeing around 250 people, and as usual we saw lots of beautiful children, including Tina who stole our hearts!

A welcomed break was then taken in the beautiful gazebo by the hall. Lunch was provided by one of our beautiful interpreters, Socheat. Noodles, rice and chicken and lots of beautiful fruit were on the menu!

Following lunch, we continued to see a small number of families, and then packed up for an well deserved early mark and afternoon off.

When we arrived back to the hotel, we were pleasantly surprised to find Bianca's bag had made its way back to us! Thank you again to Socheat for organising its safe return!

Various members of the team then took the opportunity to go shopping in the local markets, while others took the opportunity to relax at the hotel.

We then ventured into the city to enjoy and delicious dinner at The Lonely Tree Cafe. This cafe was an interesting place as it is apart of an not-for-profit organisation that employs and provides assistance to disabled individuals throughout Cambodia. They sold a number of handcrafted clothes, jewellery and ceramics, which were irresistible to most of our team members!

All in all another beautiful day spent in Cambodia!

Happy Birthday Heidi!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU! Day 11 started off with the celebration of CWC founder, Heidi!! She welcomed 40 with omelet and "Frech fries", many beautiful presents from her equally beautiful friends and a couple of rounds of "happy birthday" sung to her.

After breakfast we had planned to pack up the bus with our bags (that were all waiting in the lobby) and head off to Battambang, where we would set up clinics for the next two days. The plan was pretty solid, until Bianca noticed that her bag was missing, and that mine (Alex) and her shoes were also missing. After unpacking, what had already been squeezed into the back of the bus, the shoes and bag were still no where to be found. Staying at the hotel were another couple of groups cycling around Cambodia. Our beautiful translated Socheat got the number of the groups and we located the bag and shoes in the back of one of their buses (picked up by accident) YAY! This was exciting news, until we realised they were heading in the complete opposite direction to us and were at least an hour away. After a little compromise (and quick thinking on Socheat's behalf) the bag was to be droppped off at Oodong, put on a bus that was heading to Battambang, to be picked up by us at 5pm! Yay we had a plan! Off we went on our 2.5 (turned 4 hour) journey to our clinic for today! 

On arrival, we were welcomed with a DELICIOUS lunch and lots of cuddles!​ The clinic was very small today and we mostly saw children! The kids were attacked with stickers and loved having their photo taken! ​

Socheat had organised a surprise for Heidi to celebrate her birthday, and took us all to see the millions of bats fly from their cave at sunset! Despite being overcast, this was a beautiful thing to watch. We then all hopped into a truck and drove up to the temples where we enjoyed cake for Heidi's birthday! 

​After all of this excitement at the caves, we were told that Bianca's bag and shoes had been taken to THAILAND! They hadn't been dropped off at the bus station, so kept going. The new plan is for it to be delivered tomorrow at 11am- fingers crossed! Haha 

On our way home, Korn's van got a flat tyre. We had to all evacuate the bus and wait (in the rain) for the other bus driver to pick us up. Luckily the hotel was only down the road, so Korn was able to drive to the hotel to change the tyre in safety off the road! 

When we arrived to our hotel, we were very excited at the prospect of massages and an inhouse washing service! After dinner we were off in our different ways ready for tomorrow! 

The journey to the north begins...

We woke up to the sound of Happy Birthday Abha as we celebrated the first of two birthdays on this trip. We enjoyed a speedy birthday brekkie and Abha was treated to an ecelctic selection of Cambodian gifts, all which put a smile on her face.

Leaving our new found friends at the La Lune hotel and the chaotic streets of Phnom Penh meant our onwards journey had begun.  The suitcase tetris entertained most of the team as we wondered how 14 suitcases 18 people and all our supplies would fit into two vans. 

The packing skills of Korn and Saran leave nothing to the imagination as the bags and boxes were loaded on board and we were soon on our way to Kampong Chhnang.  The drive past lush green rice paddys and dusty road sides brought us to our riverside destination sooner than expected….. although that could have been that time was lost as we were slightly distracted by the outlander on board. Praise the good Lord for mobile technology and Netflix. 

In order to reach our clinic for the day we had to traverse the Tonle Sap River once more. This time all our supplies for the day needed to be carried on board the small boat.  The floods were evident from the rooftops that were the only visible part of the market stall structures as we travelled by.  In the dry season these buildings form a bustling local market area.

After a 20 minute tuk tuk drive (no iron cow this year) through long dusty roads which we shared with water buffalos and an escapee pig, we arrived at our destination to the sound of local music blaring over a tannoy to announce our arrival to the several hundred villagers who were patiently waiting.

The team is now adept at quickly setting up the clinic and soon we were underway with a barrage of locals desperate for some attention and care.  We worked tirelessly until our supplies were well and truly diminished as we experienced our biggest clinic to date and a staggering amount of children. Over 450 people were attended to and once again there were many tales of hardship. There were presentations of ailments that would be so easily treated back home, yet in these remote areas, people are living helplessly with these conditions that burden their daily lives with no resources available. 

When our supplies were finally exhausted for the day we made the journey to our new hotel for the night and the team enjoyed the trusty pad thai as we sang Happy Birthday once again, and tucked into the birthday cake arranged for the celebration. 

With a good night toast to Abha we collapsed into our beds for the night knowing that the early morning would soon be upon us and the start of another (birthday) day.

Day 7- Kampong Thom

The day started off with a sleep in until 8am and a buffet breakfast at our hotel, which tasted amazing and only cost $3 each. We then all packed the vans and arrived at the clinic for a 9am start.

When we arrived we all began setting up. As this is the seventh clinic it doesn't take long for us all to set up, we are like a well oiled machine!

We were welcomed by the beautiful people of Kampong Thom. Everyone was so caring and kind. In total we saw around  250 people in only 3.5hrs. There were lots of children who all stood patiently in line to receive a toothbrush, toothpaste, vitamins, worm tablet and stickers.

The kids were so impressed with Rach's eye tattoo on her forearm that they all wanted to have the same tattoo on their arms! Rach then spent the next 30 mins drawing eye tattoos on the children's arms to match hers! She had her own little gang!

We had a beautiful lunch at the school and then headed on our 3 hour journey back to Phnom Penh, which we all took the opportunity to relax and have a nap in the vans.

We arrived at our hotel, had showers and then jumped in some tuk tuk's which took us to Cafe Yejji for dinner. 

We got back to our hotel and went to bed excited for tomorrow's adventures!!

DAY 6 - Kampong Thom

"Team work makes the dream work"

That's a befitting line for the work culture at CWC.

The morning of this Saturday started quite early with a delish breakfast of omelette, bacon and sausages at Lalune hotel and we started out on a 3 hour journey to Kampong Thom.

Our team with 4 translators left in 2 vans with our bags for an overnight stay at Kampong Thom.

After a pleasant journey (thanks to our air conditioned vans) we reached Kampong Thom at 11:30.

The team set up the place quickly at the Christian youth centre hall. Having been together for 5 clinics, we now work in sync. Lunch was a hearty meal of hot rice and vegetable stir fry and a broth of stuffed tomatoes with pork balls.

The clinic started at 12:45 and we treated over 250 patients. The team treated a range of medical conditions with the common ones being scabies, chicken pox, common cold, fever in children, joint pain, anemia and yeast infections.

We also performed a few wound dressings. The spectacles counter was a hit as usual with all the beneficiaries being very thankful.

It was an overwhelming day for Gabby and Caz as one of their patients had lost her husband the previous day and was very emotional. They did a fantastic job of comforting her , treating her and she left feeling very grateful. She was speechless at the affection and support offered that she thanked us all with a warm embrace.

The host team at the Youth centre were very helpful and caring and managed the flow of patients so well that everyone got the time and attention needed.

The work at the medical clinics are hectic , hot and sweaty. However, at the end of a hard day we are left with a warm glow of feeling rewarded and blessed. The people of Cambodia are very polite, kind, respectful and return every favour with many blessings. Despite their poverty they remain very rich and generous in their hearts. They receive every donation with utmost gratitude

What pleasantly surprised the whole team was not one child or adult touched any of our belongings while we were at lunch despite their poverty. Their lack of a dishonest bone make us respect their values much more and warms the cockles of our hearts.

The hospitality and affection of Kampong Thom will not be forgotten soon.

Record fast day at Steung Menchey

Everyone knows the best way to take in the sights of Cambodia's capital city Phnom Penh is by tuk tuk. The sights, the sounds, the smells, everything is magnified and racing by at the speed of Mr Rith's moped. You better have your wits about you or you may miss something extraordinary.

Today we were heading to Steung Menchey, one of Phnom Penh's poorest areas, situated at the old rubbish tip site. The rubbish tip officially closed in 2009, displacing many Cambodians who worked and lived there. Our first mission was to pack the tuk tuks sky high with tiger balm, soaps and meditations for our clinic. Then it was a mad dash to get there as we were running a bit behind schedule due to some unfortunate toilet activity (said bottoms will remain anonymous). It was an eye opener for our newbies and a complete assault to your senses as our tuk tuks navigated the narrow laneways of the slum.

When we arrived at the church, everyone was waiting patiently for us. We sprung into action, setting up in a matter of minutes. Seeing approximately 200 people in about 2 hours, boom just like that. One little boy scored a trip to the Kantha Bopha Hospital on the back of Socheat's (our darling interpreter) moto for a steel pole vs shin injury, three days prior, that had developed into a nasty cellulitis. Poor little man's leg was so swollen and hot to touch, he had a brave face on the whole time. It never ceases to amaze me how stoic the children and people of Cambodia are.

The rest of the afternoon was free time to take in the sights of Phnom Penh by tuk tuk of course. We enjoyed some bargain hunting/haggling at the Russian Markets and stocked up on some much needed supplies from the pharmacy and grocery store for our clinics and days to come. FYI gluten free snack shopping in Cambodia is not easy people! But we made it work. We also managed to find an awesome wheelchair for the beautiful paralysed man we met at Sarorn's village earlier in the week. The wheelchair features a commode like draw underneath the seat, the seat back reclines and the legs elevate, allowing the man to be able to change his position throughout the day. 

The evening was also spent making up first aid kits for Sarorn to take to a big province meeting. Sarorn was very impressed when we presented him with them and the wheelchair. Looking forward to seeing photos of the man when he receives it!