Barefoot Doctors: Starting week two

Over the weekend the student visited an experimental farm.

Students in the yellow cab on their way
to the experimental farm

The students enjoyed the trip on Saturday to the experimental farm and learned many useful things. Sunday was church here at the training center in three languages, Thai, Burmese, and English.

Baby Nang Nang in church with her dad, Adang

Off to another good week, Dr. Nilson started off talking about Children’s health. We spent some time on proper nutrition for children as it is directly related to their health. Dr. Nilson talked about the Moranga tree and its potential to help with malnutrition. The Moranga tree leaves are an excellent source protein, Vitamins C, A, & B12, and have all essential amino acids. Moranga has more vitamin C than oranges, more vitamin A than carrots, more calcium than milk, more potassium than bananas, and more protein than yogurt. Surprisingly, if you overlay the world’s areas that struggle with malnutrition and the areas where the Moranga tree can grow, you see they are the same areas! Unfortunately, many people do not know about the Moranga tree, or they do not have enough mature trees to be helpful. Of course, there are other reasons for areas of malnutrition including social and political issues.

When Dr. Nilson asked how the students would find more information on the Moranga tree if they were interested, their only response was that they could talk to other people. The answer he wanted was the internet. The students did not seem to know that the internet could be used for this purpose. As part of this program, the students are getting trained in internet use, so that those who have access to it in nearby towns can take advantage of it, but many of them are just learning how to use a keyboard. We westerners take for granted all we have access to. It seems likely that internet access will spread in Burma over the next few years and many may soon have access that currently do not. The internet can be an extremely powerful tool to increase the quality of life, when used properly. Unfortunately, the internet is also full of negative material and misinformation; the students must also be made aware of this fact. In addition, some of the staff made the “tippy-tap” this morning for the students to see as an example of the homemade device that may be used for hand washing in places where there is not running water.

While Dr. Nilson was lecturing the students, Dr. Alice Astone and Lindsey snuck away and made brownie batter to celebrate Rick Astone’s birthday, only to find out that there was no oven! Thankfully, Ryan Stowell, the manager of the KLC property, made the suggestion of using a barbecue to cook the brownies…with a little ingenuity on his part, he and Lindsey got the brownies cooked, and they turned out wonderfully. Today was also a very exciting day as it was the first day we were privileged to have Dr. Susan McDowell, an orthopedic surgeon, with us here at KLC. In the afternoon, Dr. Susan McDowell taught the students basic anatomy, and also about fractures, sprains, and dislocations. The students keep class lively with lots of songs, praise, and clapping. Another successful, God given day here at KLC.
Rick, Alice, and Lindsey