Towards the end of our first week of work, one of our patients fainted while waiting for her medication, likely due to the heat, humidity, and exhaustion.  This gives you an idea of the kinds of conditions our team works in. One of our members notified me that, "one of our patients fainted... oh, and by the way, we can't find a pulse..." My heart almost dropped. The last thing we need to add to a busy clinic day is a code blue. Luckily, we found a pulse and after IV fluid hydration our patient was better. Her EKG and lab tests showed no remarkably concerning findings; she was transferred to the local hospital for further evaluation.

As we were rounding out the week the energy was spent, many members were fatigued; but amazingly, love and kindness never ceased. This is the reason why this mission is so dear to my heart. It is the beautiful people of Vietnam and it is the incredible young volunteers from the US.

And the work continued on as we cared for the patients...

...taught the local doctors how to provide an up-to-date standard of medical care for the patients. No, we are not just doing "medical tourism." We are dedicated to improving the healthcare and the lives of the people of Cao Bang...

by loving them...

and spending time with them...

even if just for a brief moment doing the silliest thing...

Thank God for the amazing kitchen of Mo Tu with a variety of options on the menu. Funny how everything is always "sold out" except for 'mi goi' (instant noodles).

Took a moment to appreciate the majestic beauty of God's creation on the way back on our last day of clinic. God is always giving us little gifts, it is up to us to notice them.

The Journey Continues... GSMDM 2014: Love Beyond Borders!!!

We arrived at the clinic site (often a local high school jerry-rigged into a medical facility) in the mist of rain on our first clinic day.  Our attempt to capture the pristine beauty of Cao Bang did not do the province justice.

A moment in between setting up and seeing patients shared with my good friend, Cat, who is near and dear to the Mission. Like most volunteers on the mission, she has given up a lot to be here serving the people of Cao Bang.

The goofballs at the end of clinic day.

A little team bonding exercise...

So we gathered an audience

To look for that treasure...

...and here it is!

One of our physicians braving through the sea of patients to expedite the process

With permission from the mother, I was allowed to take this photo of her child who was brought to our clinic for evaluation of a congenital condition that makes his eyes rather sensitive to light and have a frequent nystagmus. Under the circumstances and limited resources, we soon came to realize that there was not much we could do for the patient medically. The remainder of our encounter focused on the challenges, discrimination, and stigma that this young mother faced over the past three years. "It is not about me...I'm worried about my boy and what he will have to face in the future...What if he goes blind...!?" I held his soft little hand in mine and couldn't help but think about my little niece back home; how I think of her every so often; and how the thought of her can bring a smile to my face. If I can love my niece that much, how much more must this young mother love her child? And how it must pain her to helplessly watch her child endure the challenges of life with his medical condition; and my heart ached for them.

For that moment we were connected by one commonality, LOVE! Hers for her child and mine for my little niece. I can empathize with the emotion that she experiences. I am convinced that love is a manifestation of the Godly spirit instilled in each of us. How else can one explain something so uniquely perfect yet shared commonly across all cultures, languages, and people? God is Love and Love transcends all things...