First Clinical Day

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Today was beautiful. Blue skies, sun, low humidity and a slight breeze. Everyone slept well and except for an upset stomach and a cold, everyone is feeling good. This morning for breakfast we had Chinese Buddy Donuts, Salad, Mango, Bananas and Chicken Rice Soup. Once again, not disappointed with the meal selection. We attended the morning ceremony where each student introduced themselves in Thai and in English. Some of the students are very comfortable with their introductions; however, there are still a few students struggling with the phrase. The Thai introduction is “De Chan Chew (name), kah”. This simply means “my name is ….”. Each student has a Thai nickname and this year the names are flowers. After the morning ceremony, we had our group picture taken. I hope they turn out good because we will use it for our farewell gift.

This morning we had formal introductions, program review and campus tours. The Thai buddies prepared a PowerPoint presentation explaining to each of the students what their Thai name (flowers) look like and means in the Thai culture. Then they presented each student with a framed picture of their flower. The American buddies presented each Thai buddy with a gift as well.



Lunch was held at BCNC. We had guava, mango, egg, jasmine rice and chicken & vegetable stir fry. After lunch, we went to Nakornping Hospital. It was so good to see Pi Nat and Pi Ju again. These two lovely ladies participated in the 2-week MC & BCNC exchange program this past March. They both were so happy to see us again. After our orientation session, students enjoyed a soda and snacks. They all tasted sweet tamarind for the first time. I believe most of them were pleasantly surprised by the taste. It reminds me of a small date. Tours of the various units followed our group photo. The students had a lot of questions and saw a lot of new and different equipment. Four-point restraints with bed linens, pressured controlled ventilators, chest tubes with the real 1 bottle system, burn dressings, and gravity infused IVs. Following our 2 hr tour we headed back to campus. We had some down time before dinner so some students went to the sport center for exercise, some rested and some worked on their assignment for tonight. The group who thought they were going to walk 1 km to the sport center, walk the track a few times and then walk back quickly discovered that they were actually going to walk the opposite direction around a huge lake. The anticipated 1 hr & 3 km walk turned into a 1 hr 45 min & 8 km walk. When they arrived back to campus they were perspired, sore and tired. Those of us who stayed behind were glad we chose to stay behind J



Dinner tonight was jasmine rice, vegetable stir fry, chicken coconut soup (my favorite), corn and rose apples. Following dinner, we had our first-class session. Students appear to be adjusting ok. It was energizing to hear the lessons being learned as they interact with the Thai people and engage in cultural activities. Every group has its own group personality and dynamics so I never know from year to year what to expect. This year several of the students have been abroad so they are experiencing this culture through a wider and more open lens. It is interesting how the same experience can impact people so differently and in so many ways. Student were very open and insightful about their experiential learning.



The Lord clearly revealed Himself this evening. Personal reflection and conviction has become a norm for me during these trips. I tend to get caught up in the ideals of American thinking that it takes my annual trip to Thailand to “reset” my barometer. It is not unusual for discussions to continue following our class sessions and tonight was no exception. The Lord called Greg and I to a ministry 10 years ago. We did not know what or how this was all coming together but we trusted that God had a bigger plan and that this was not a coincidental opportunity. Our ministry was not to become full-time missionaries planted in a foreign country, but rather to minister to American students and to those that we encounter through this experience. We are not always aware of the impact that this experience has had on individuals but it is nice to hear, every now and then, how lives are being changed as a result of this program. By no means do we take credit for the outcome of this program. We only answered “yes” to His calling and remain a willing vessel for Him to work through. Each day brings a new adventure and I look forward to the journey that lies before us.

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Comments

[Joan]

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I truly enjoy your blog. Such a wonderful experience for you and your students. I look forward to reading more entries.