Thailand Mission Trip 2015

in Spring 2016   |
Published on 09/30/2016   |
4 min | <<|>>

Thailand is a beautiful and wondrous kingdom, featuring Buddhist temples, exotic wildlife, and impressive islands. Many know about Thailand’s colorful culture and compelling history; most, though, are unaware that roughly 128,000 refugees live along the Thai border with Myanmar (Burma). Most are the ethnic Karen people who fled violence in Myanmar. These refugees are homeless, stateless, and must hide from Thai authorities in order to avoid being put in refugee camps, which are nothing but prisons.

Thus, these refugees in the mountains along the border have no access to medical care or to the gospel.

This past December, AMEN teamed up with AFCOE (the Amazing Facts Center of Evangelism) to witness to the Karen refugees in Thailand and to provide them with much needed medical and spiritual care. Our group—comprised of dentists, doctors, nurses, dietitians, counselors, and other professionals—came from all over the world. We divided our group into two main teams: the first team would serve in the more urban area at a local church in Mae Sot; the second would serve in the remote villages of Emerald, approximately 2.5 hours away.
Clinics in Mae Sot
Months of preparation and prayer had already gone into this trip, and we were excited to see who the Lord would have us meet. To our delight, we already had several patients lined up on the first day. How fortunate we were to be working with a local pastor who actively advertised our clinic and was using this opportunity to bring people to Christ. We were able to offer dental, vision, and medical care, massages, counseling, and even a children’s health program. A local ophthalmologist, Dr. Supachai Wongpichetchai, worked with us, not only treating patients but also performing cataract surgeries. He often worked late at night, and then lodged with the patients at the church in order to ensure that they were doing well.

Although most of the villagers were Buddhists, we were surprised at how many people wanted us to pray for them. Right after the clinics, we divided into three subgroups and went to three different sites where we held evangelistic series and gave health talks. Here we saw how powerfully the medical mission work harmonized with the gospel, as we were able to witness people’s lives changed as they heard and accepted the Word of God.
Clinics at Emerald
Dr. John Adams, DDS related his experience: “I am a general dentist who, with my wife, Barbara, had the privilege of serving in this ministry. I was assigned the town of Thasongyang. For five days our team of two dentists, several nurses, allied health professionals, and other volunteers provided dental care, medical evaluations, and health education at SDA schools and churches.

Perhaps the most enjoyable and rewarding day was when we traveled to a small community in the back of pickup trucks. We traveled on a rough unpaved road, carrying our equipment and supplies down a hill, across a stream, and up the hill on the other side to an area that had a small stilted SDA church built of native materials. Dr. Richard Nakabayashi, the other dentist and I, set up our portable dental chairs under the trees at a site near the church where AFCOE was conducting nightly outdoor evangelistic meetings. We then spent the day doing extractions. After we’d worked for several hours, the local SDA members prepared lunch; we sat on the floor of the house and ate. It was a priceless experience.

Some of the images etched in our minds are the sights of village people going about their daily lives: a rice husking machine operating in the shade under a stilted house; children being carried on their mothers’ backs; the chickens and dogs wandering around the community and under the houses; the children playing with the balloons we brought for them; and the betel nut stained teeth we saw frequently in our patients’ mouths.

I found it amazing that a group of people, who were largely unknown to each other, who traveled great distances, endured long flights, sleeplessness, and jet lag, nevertheless worked effectively together for a common cause, happily using their hands and voices in service to Jesus.

For me, a dentist in private practice, taking an extended time off work can cause anxiety. However, I have learned, and this trip was further confirmation, that there is no need to worry. My practice has never suffered because of the mission trips I have participated in. Even more importantly, this trip did so much for me and my wife. Sign up for an AMEN trip and be prepared to receive a blessing.”

Dr. Eugen Schiopu, a volunteer dentist from Germany, summed up our experience:

“There is a special blessing available to us when we are involved in God’s work, especially in situations where we are not able to see every detail before we accept the challenge. God promises us that he will fulfill every need, regardless of our own calculations. The mission in Thailand proved once again that God is faithful in providing everything we needed, starting with medical equipment, talented and motivated volunteers, and patients earnestly desiring health and spiritual ministry.

The unity we have with people from different cultures, languages, and ages was proof of God’s presence. Abraham, called the father of faith, was challenged to put his faith in God. Abraham expressed his deep confidence in God’s faithfulness through the words he spoke to his son: ‘God will provide for himself a lamb.’ Some day, the final test will come. People who were trained in God’s school will be able to to say, based on their past experiences, that ‘God will provide,’ regardless of the circumstances facing them.”

 

<< | Table of Contents | >>