by Jacqueline Murphy, Nursing Team

Chomreabsuor! (Hello!)

We had a bright and early morning today that started off with each off us packing up our luggage to head out to a new hotel, brand new, at that. The hotel we will be traveling to is only 10 days old. As you can imagine, the entire team was very excited about this new adventure. Before we would go there, we set off to our third clinic here in Poipet. This is our third in a row and we were tired but so very excited to spend another day serving as the hands and feet of God. 

When we arrived at the Bridge of Hope, we experienced another powerful morning of Worship in the area where we would set up our clinic. We set up our station where the undergraduate nursing students would collect the intake information including vital signs and the patient’s chief complaint of why they came into the clinic today. The next stop is the nurse practitioner station where the patient is diagnosed and treated, the nurses also help in this area. I, myself, am an undergraduate nursing student and I have learned an incredible amount from the nurse practitioners already throughout these three days. After, the patient sees the pharmacy professors and students to receive the prescribed medication. The next station is education where the patient is educated on many different topics, some include hand washing, hydration, GERD, stretching, and dental hygiene. Lastly, there is a praying station where our team member Eric prays over the patient for healing and any and all other prayer requests. It is incredible the power prayer has over sickness, and although most patients are not Christian, we are able to spread the love of Jesus Christ into their lives. Alongside the stations, there are many stray dogs and children running around, and despite the busyness and what may feel like chaos, we are always able to provide excellent care to our patients in need. 

Volunteering in these clinics has already been a humbling and life changing experience. It is incredible the way one can connect with another despite the language barrier. We are also blessed to be working along side amazing translators that have taught us countless lessons on the Cambodian culture and also the Khmer language. It is not only Cambodia alone that makes this place so beloved, it is most importantly the people and relationships formed within our Belmont team, our translating team, and our patients that make this place feel like home.

After another successful day, we headed to our new hotel before a large thunderstorm hit. Cayley and I watched the darkness above slowly move it’s way into the city. Thunder came rolling in, the wind sped up, and then it started to downpour. Not too long after, our hotel rooms filled with water. This was quickly resolved and we reminded ourselves of how blessed we are to have a roof over our heads during the storm. Also, we were so excited that the 111 degree heat was cooled from the rain. 

We are able to sleep in tomorrow morning before we go to church and have our free day in Poipet. 

God is so good! 

Reatrei Suostei! (Goodnight!)