2007 Mission Trip to Cambodia
Kelley and I went to the AIDS hospital today. It was quite an experience since we do not have much experience with AIDS and HIV patients in the US. Many of the patients arrive at the hospital in the later stages of AIDS and in critical condition. They are placed on anti-retrovirals that are now available to any HIV patient that requests them. The drugs frequently allow the patients to recover to a level that allows them to return to the community and to their former lives. We were introduced to most of the patients, and heard their stories from the social worker that knows them well. The stories are of such incredible hardship and yet the patients were friendly and happy to see us. To hear the stories of survival that are so commonplace here are heartbreaking and definitely giving us a new perspective on what we consider “hardship”. Kelley and I gave lectures, with the help of an interpreter, to nurses that do not speak English that well. It’s interesting because they use English in the hospital and learn in English.

2007 Mission Trip to Cambodia
so, this whole past week we have been doing the tourist thing. we went to the markets, and went out to eat, discovered the glory of sticky rice and mango, rode in the infamous touk touks, played in the rain, and shopped shopped shopped. however, considering cambodia is quite different than what we all used to, i think all of these activities were vital. It allowed us to get a feel for the culture before entering the hospital and interacting with patients.
wednesday was our first day of “work”. a few of us woke up early for a morning run through the busy streets, the group met for a quick breakfast and then it was time to leave at 7 am for the hospital (which really means 7 30 am in cambodian time) after a tour of all 25 beds it was time for the group to split up. half went to go visit the HIV patients in their homes, and the rest of us remained in the hospital. those of us who stayed went on rounds with the doctors in the medical ward. it was nice because the rounds were done in english. we got to ask a lot of questions and learned a lot from the doctors. one thing i noticed is that what they see here in the medical ward is MUCH different than what we would see in our medical wards back home. diseases here are often left untreated for long periods of time, so that when the patient finally comes to the hospital, the disease is in its extreme stage.
it is great getting to work beside these amazing people. many of them have incredible stories on how they survived pol pots regime and why they are here now working at HOPE. they have all been been so willing to teach us and so thankful that we have come to help. it has been very rewarding and inspiring. and there is still more to come.