2011 Mission Trip to Cambodia
from Norman Mang, Pharmacy Class of 2013
We awoke at 6:00 this morning, our feelings a mixture of jet-lag and adrenaline-fueled excitement. After a traditional Khmer breakfast of noodle soup, we all piled into the van and headed to Sihanouk Hospital Center of Hope (SHCH). We braved the infamous Cambodian traffic and arrived at our destination—a completely charity based hospital—a shining beacon of humanity and God’s love, right in the heart of Phnom Penh. Our tour of the hospital grounds was beset every step of the way by smiles and hugs from the Khmer people, excited to see their friend and former colleague, Susan Taplin, return to Cambodia yet again. We were shown the surgical and medical wards, the HIV clinic, and the pharmacy department. Our next stop was the pharmacy’s base of operations, a warehouse across the street from the hospital. It was filled to the brim with donated medications from around the world. At the CMC & Jeremiah’s Hope, another branch of the hospital system, we met Cambodian physicians who were trained by various teams of doctors that had come to serve over the years. In particular, we were introduced to Dr. Tisopheap, a renowned Cambodian cardiovascular surgeon. We spoke with him at length about various projects and opportunities pharmacy could participate in. This was very exciting and we sincerely hope this serendipitous meeting will bloom into an amazing relationship.

After a phenomenal lunch, prepared for hospital volunteers by the Khmer community, the pharmacy students were whisked away in tuk-tuk’s (open-aired taxis connected to a motorbike) to the government hospital, Kossamak. Emanie, a 14 year veteran nurse of SHCH, toured us through. This hospital is designated primarily for patients capable of paying for their medical care. There was a striking comparison between the two facilities, but it was obvious that both institutions were doing good works for the Khmer people. A particularly touching experience on our tour of Kossamak was when we entered the room of a young boy with polio. Both his feet were clubbed and he had been deprived of his ability to function in a way most people take for granted every day – walking. When we arrived he was recovering from a recent operation on his right foot and awaiting a second operation for his left. The best part of this story is that the Cambodian government was providing his surgeries completely free to the family as a part of the new program designed to combat crippling diseases such as polio.
The next stop on our action packed first day was none other than a Cambodian church! We attended Wednesday night service, with the majority of it presented by a Khmer pastor with an English translator. It was a beautiful service and the crowd was completely enthralled. The highlight of our service came when Ms. Taplin was invited to introduce our group and say a few words in front of the congregation. When she walked up to the podium and began speaking Khmer, the native language of Cambodia, the crowd exploded with cheers. Afterwards, we broke up into groups of men and women. The men had a moving session on leadership through following Christ’s examples.
Last on our list was a late night meal with a group of 10 nursing and pharmacy students visiting one of the local restaurants, Flavors. We ate on the patio and were joined by Dr. Corneelia from SHCH, a close friend of Ms. Taplin’s. Our meal was anything but normal once the child we dubbed “Ouwn” (Khmer translation: little brother) arrived on the scene. He proceeded to speak to us in flawless English using catchy phrases and chicanery to unload his wares. I say chicanery because I was personally challenged to a high-stakes rock-paper-scissors showdown. He was selling beautiful scarves for $1 but had other plans in mind for me. The terms of the competition were the best three out of five rounds would win. If I won I would receive a scarf for free, but if he won then I would have to buy the same scarf for $5. It was a humiliating defeat for me with Ouwn solidly winning three rounds in a row, even throwing the winning “scissors” in a deft behind-the-back move.
To comprehend that this is only the first day we have spent in this breathtakingly beautiful country is beyond my ken. Stay tuned for more epic adventures!