Thousands of Cambodian children and adults had medical, dental and optical exams during Operation Blessing’s mission in March. A small team of 18 medical and support volunteers worked tirelessly in providing 7,131 medical services in locations within Phnom Penh and its surrounding area. Find out more about this one-of-a-kind mobile medical mission!

Miles of beautiful flat land filled with rice paddies and banana trees surrounded Operation Blessing’s outdoor medical clinic. It was the second week of the mission and the team had arrived in their most unusual work place yet. They had left their temporary “home” at 6:30 in the morning to drive two hours into a very rural area. Only seeing a few houses mostly hidden by the trees, they set up chairs, tables and equipment underneath the shade. Soon mothers with little ones hanging on to their hips began appearing. Before the long day was done, the medical stations had moved several times in order to stay in the cover of the shade and hundreds of men, women as well as children had seen a medical professional for the first time!

Many Cambodians are without access to medical care or can’t afford it. During the first week of the mission, volunteers set up in five of Phnom Penh’s poorest orphanages. There are two different types of orphans. The first are children whose parents abandoned them or died. The second are those whose parents can’t afford to feed them. These children sleep at home but attend the orphanage’s school and receive three meals every day. More than 430 orphans as well as the orphanage staff received medical care! The team treated a lot of parasite and skin infections. After the orphans had been treated each day the gates opened to the waiting public.

After returning from the day’s site, a few team members had to repack supplies for the next day. Mission leader, Dwight Lohrenz relayed that they were often helped by volunteers from a partnering ministry making it " a real team effort." Even with such a successful mission behind him, Dwight reflected, “We didn’t even scratch the surface. Every day people were turned away.”

There are countless people around the world who are in critical need of basic health care right now. Operation Blessing wants to end their cycle of suffering, but we can’t do it without your help.

HOW YOU CAN HELP
Be a part of OBI's ongoing medical relief efforts by making an online contribution to help those suffering from extreme poverty and sickness.

 

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