Below are a few pictures from the meeting.

 

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Tuesday, we went to Xa Lang, where we had our clinic at the Buddhist pagoda .  Here is Dr. Mike Hall examining a patient with the help of a translator.  on that day, we saw 236 patients.  These patients walked some distance to get to the clinic site.   

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Dr. Jim Hoover (left) assists a patient to a waiting area.  This patient was wearing a Alabama Crimson Tide jacket.  What a delightful experience it was for Dr. Hoover who is from the state of Alabama and yes, a Crimson Tide fan! 

 

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On Wednesday, we were at Mang Lin.  Here we treated 124 patients.  Nurse Naomi Miyamoto is at Triage where she intakes the patients and after their vital signs are taken, they are routed to a physician. 

After being examined by a physician, the patient is then ushered to the pharmacy where they are given their medication and instructions on how to take them.  Reed DeVault (R) and George Maeda (L) assisted the parmacist in packaging the medication. 

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This is a scene that greeted the med team every morning when they arrived at a clinic site.  There were many people waiting for an appointment with a doctor. 

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The patients were examined in a one room clinic. In the forefront is Dr. Ron Bryant with his translator who was a local college student studying English. 

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"I had gone with ECR in 1996, 97, 98, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2008. I filled different role depending on the needs at that particular time. Most of the time, I filled the translator role for either the nurse or the doctor. I worked in the pharmacy as needed. Basically, I counted the medication, put it into plastic ziplock bag, explained to the patient how to take the drug. Sometime I acted as spoke person for the team when we talk to the local government or to the local medical team. In some instances, I  represent ECR in the Board of Director capacity.

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"In October of 1988 I decided to try to do SOMETHING helpful in Vietnam, something that would help people who were   as needy as any I knew of then. My first trip back to Vietnam was in June of 1989, and I have been back more than 30 times since then. What began as a mission action program of my church eventually became a Hawaii non-profit corporation, then a 501c3 humanitarian aid program. We continue in that status now.

Our first volunteer medical team was in December 1994. Now, after l4 of those teams, I find that the satisfaction is just as strong as ever, the joy of helping truly needy people as deep as the first time. The friendships that come out of these groups are deep and lasting - I have a wonderful extended family. I'm the one who recruits the teams and organizes the projects, so I  am lucky to have a personal friendship with every team member, and there are over 120 of them now. These are doctors, nurses, pharmacists, translators, dentists, assistants - and they all work closely to make the projects effective. The cooperation is incredible, year after year. The act of giving of yourself, without expecting anything in return, is life-changing. 

The people we treat in the clinics are quite needy, and always very grateful for what we do to help. The children are of course the ones who touch you the most deeply, but we help everyone with equal care. We can't fix everything, but people know we try hard to help them. As for the team members, I honestly do not know of a single person who has ever regretted going, and many have gone multiple times. The teams demonstrate a servant heart, which is what we believe our faith should show. Being part of these groups is a wonderful experience."

Bruce Harless

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We need people whose vision looks into the Kingdom to see the future, who see the potential of the youth of Southeast Asia, and who will determine to help change lives. If you are one of those people, you can make a difference.

Consider what you can and should do. There are several ways you can be involved, every one of them necessary and important.

Decide to be engaged. You can if you will, but it requires a decision on your part.

Commit to an intentional role., whether it be as donor, volunteer, prayer supporter, fundraiser or all of these.  This is Kingdom work, and it is Kingdom builders who will get the job done.

• The Mission of ECR is to Enlarge the Kingdom. We seek to introduce individuals to Christ by demonstrating His love through compassionate mission action.
• The Purpose of ECR is to provide practical help to meet real need.
• The Objective of ECR is to deliver legitimate assistance to people who have inadequate access to medical and / or educational resources.
• The Goal of ECR is to carry out a series of projects through which we relate redemptively to each person we have the means and opportunity to help.

1. Provide Medical resources;
2. Provide Medical Intervention and Treatment;
3. Provide Scholarships;
4. Conduct Family Support Ministry;
5. Support Child and Family Services;
6. Implement the Audio Bible Project;

The results were gratifying - over 1200 persons were seen in the clinics, and 328 individuals either professed faith in Christ or asked to know more about the Christian faith that we work from. While the roster of follow-up patients from this project is not yet completed, there are nonetheless results to show that are encouraging and uplifting.

A. Lucie is a 9-year-old with a facial birthmark that sets her apart from her peers and causes ongoing emotional trauma for the child. Her parents had given up hope of her ever being able to have it removed. During the week that our med team was in Cambodia, arrangements were made with our sponsors to have the work done. Lucie and her parents are being sent to Bangkok for the corrective surgery, and ECR has paid the expenses.

C. A second project in Cambodia (and elsewhere in SEA) is the providing of solar-powered audio players containing essential Gospel messages. These players can be used over and over by many people without having to replace batteries or use earphones. Ideal for personal sharing of stories and scripture passages, these units are provided to people free of charge.

A.  Child and Family Services:

This program, operated by the People's Committee for Care and Nurture of Children, is run by Mrs. Nga. Two separate activities are currently supported by ECR:

1.  "Bring Back the Light" (Mang Lai Anh Sang) is an on-going effort to provide ophthalmic surgery for young children with cataracts that produce blindness. 2006 is the fifth year to support this program.

2.  Vocational training ("Hoc Nghe") is provided for older children.

Mr. Nhan coordinates ECR's involvement in these programs, including visits to the orphanages, regular contact with Ms. Nga's office, and the preparation and filing of related documents with the appropriate government offices.

B.  School Supplies are provided to numerous elementary schools, typically on a school-wide basis, during each school year.  Some of these supplies are coordinated through Mrs. Nga's office, and others are done in-house. In all cases, the supplies are presented to the children directly from ECR and with Mr. Nhan's participation.

C.  Scholarships are given annually to a number of college students. This financial assistance is applied directly to their tuition and fees, enabling them to pursue valid degree programs in local universities. Mr. Nhan oversees this program; his work includes:

• Interviewing all applicants;
• Processing applications;
• Verifying enrollment in a valid degree program;
• Presenting the applications to the President and Board of Directors;
• Making the cash awards prior to the beginning of the school year;
• Conducting personal follow-up with each student throughout the year.

These students are chosen according to their financial need and upon presentation of valid enrollment credentials. There is no consideration given to their religious or ethnic identity. Awards are decided by the Board of Directors, who have no prior personal contact with any of the applicants.

All scholarship recipients are expected to participate in one short-term project per year to help someone less fortunate than they are. Mr. Nhan endeavors to maintain a degree of contact with them that enables him to help them when necessary.  Nineteen students are currently studying on ECR scholarships.

E.  Teacher Loans: 

A cash fund is retained in the region to provide  a continuing series of interest-free loans to teachers for home enterprises. These loans enable teachers to begin a small  business at home to augment their income from teaching. This program was begun in 1992, in Long An Province, and expanded to include four provinces. In the years since, as the need lessened, what was once a nearly five thousand dollar fund was phased down to the current 23 million dong ($1400 USD) level and restricted to Can Tho and Binh Duong.

Mr. Nhan maintains the continuity of the fund assigned to Can Tho, where the money is rolled over at regular intervals. At 6-month and 12-month intervals, the outstanding loans are repaid and the base amount is loaned out to other teachers. Since beginning them in 1992, there has not been a default on repaying these loans. We obviously do not make any profit on these loans, and openly acknowledge that to the borrowers, stressing the correlation between that and the grace we expound as a Christian organization.

The Board of Directors of ECR sets policy and approves programming.

The President guides the operations, and their implementation, through the three in-country employees.

The purpose of ECR is to engage in a series of projects that allow us to relate redemptively to as many individuals as we have the means and opportunity to help.

ECR is actively engaged in program in Can Tho and Lam Dong provinces of Vietnam. Can Tho is 4 hours south, in the heart of the Mekong Delta. Lam Dong includes Dalat, in the highlands, a 40-minute plane ride from Saigon.

The two employees who carry out our operations in-country include: (1) Mr. Nhan Nguyen, our agent in Can Tho province, and (2) Ms. Lyly Dao, who serves as a consultant in the Lam Dong province activities. These agents answer directly to the President of ECR, who manages the operations of ECR and answers directly to the Board of Directors.

This overview is intended to present that series of projects in such a way as to

• demonstrate its breadth and focus,
• clarify the structure and methods used, and
• present the results in measurable term

This section is intended to give you a good overview of what volunteer activities are available, what is expected of our volunteers, and how you can participate.

The med teams are usually about 16-21 people, all volunteers. Each person pays his or her own costs, and it is approximately $2000 each. That covers the entire trip, including air and visa, hotels, food, etc.  Each person pays ECR and then we pay all the bills --  that way we can get group rates and  everything is a valid tax deductible expense. You will need to plan being gone ten or eleven days. (The costs as noted are based on your direct return to your home - other personal travel or other expenses are not calculated in that amount).

Our first need is doctors, then nurses, and then translators for those medical professionals who do not speak Vietnamese. That of course means that the number of translators will vary according to the overall team size and the language makeup of that team. Once those positions are filled, we usually have room for 2-3 folks to work in the "pharmacy" filling prescriptions for the pharmacist. Spouses of volunteers usually receive priority in selection, all other factors equal. Our groups are small (typical is 16-21, rarely bigger than that), and inevitably close-knit.

Other volunteer work is scheduled on individual bases.  Opportunities for medical professionals to spend 2-4 weeks in Vietnam on short-term work/education projects are regularly available.

Once the team is filled, there is a long process of travel, visa and other arrangements that are part of the project, and that takes a few months. Usually by September we have confirmed a team for the following February. We go in the early part of the year, because of the weather -- after the heat and before the rains.

The number one quality we need in each team member is a sincere Christian spirit and willingness to work for the good of the team, not for a personal agenda. This is a strongly Christian group of volunteers, and although we do not engage in open witnessing, etc., our example to others is extremely important.  The closeness of the team is very important as well -- if we do not all share the same purpose, and have a mutual interest in being a servant, the team suffers for it and we do not present to the world the image that we need to show them as Christians.  This is not meant to be exclusive, but rather it is meant to preserve the integrity of our witness to the people we come in contact with. Each day we have a very brief devotional time together - ten minutes if we're lucky, sometimes - and so the tenor of the group is vital to each member.

Our team positions are filled by Christian volunteers, because we must be of one heart in order for our efforts to be effective. We ask all potential volunteers to correspond with us and share their reasons for wanting to join the teams, and we may ask for references from their pastors and/or other team members. This is to ensure that each individual RECEIVES the most from the mission project, and GIVES the necessary commitment and energy to the team effort.

If you are seriously interested in joining a medical team, we will want you to share a bit of your thoughts about going -- how you feel about being part of a team like that, etc. The purpose for this is to begin a dialogue that will facilitate your participation and enjoyment in the project.

Tet, the lunar New Year, is the major holiday in Southeast Asia. We typically set the med team for approximately ten days before or after Tet. 

You must have a passport that is valid until at least six months after the project, and be in good health. We require that everyone travels TO Vietnam together -- we make all the travel plans so that all flights are coordinated. That gives the team some time to start becoming a real team. We will fly together, stay together during the project, and eat our meals together. Once the project is over, you are free to stay over as a tourist, or travel elsewhere, and we will schedule your travel accordingly.

It is not our intent or desire to be "bossy" about this -- we just have to ensure that things work together, and that we meet the requirements that will make the project a success. I can assure you that if you do join the med team it will prove to be one of the most wonderful experiences of your life, and you will find the others on the team to be the most splendid folks in the world.