He's Back!!!!

Our fearless leader, Dr. Bjorn, is back and we are all so happy to see him.  The students greeted him with smiles, hugs and applause.  And then he jumped right in and put them to work.  Today several students told stories about patients and successes they have had over the past year.

Here Tun Myaing, the Class President, Saw Warr, and Nilar are sharing with the students.

Yesterday, before Dr. Bjorn arrived, the students worked on finishing their felt bodies. They were promptly named Adam, Eve and Mary.  Later, the students will report on the functionality and complications or diseases of each organ.

Each day the students engage in a little friendly competition to challenge their opponents with their medical knowledge.  Divided into three groups, each are given an opportunity to "spin the wheel" and be asked an Easy, Moderate, Hard or Bonus medical question. They will receive points for each correct answer.  (And the instructors have a chance to throw in some added teaching)  Currently Group 3 is in the lead with 18 points.  During the last week of February we will announce the winning group.  Here Ma Ma Naing is spinning the wheel for Group 2.  Dr. Jove has been providing them with some pretty tough questions!

Our thanks to Nurse Lynda from Canada for providing the Wheel.

The Students Assist In the Teaching

Dr. Charles asks the students to list the problems they have seen over the past year and to highlight the conditions they have questions about.  He plans to use these to begin their studies.

Dr. Jove  refreshes the students on Respiratory Conditions
Yawhan helps by playing the role of the patient

  Gayle reviewing Intestinal Parasites. The students shared
many interesting stories of patients they treated with Mebendazole for roundworms and tapeworms.

       Dr, Jim spent the afternoon discussing Eye conditions.  San San Win told of a patient with conjunctival hemorrhage due to coughing.  Mee Pwe shared about a man with traumatic vision loss that occurred when he fell in a ditch.
Than Zaw Oo and Ram Bo Kim also presented cases.

Week Three - Barefoot Doctors

Proverbs 16:1 " We can make our plans, but the final outcome is in God's hands."

Yesterday the students began their final five weeks of medical training.  Their plan is to graduate on February 26, 2016 and return to Myanmar with a certificate designating them as a trained health care worker. They are working hard toward that purpose.  This year we have 18 students.  Three years ago 21 students began the program.  For different reasons, three have not been able to return.
God apparently has a different plan.

Today, as class began, we were all bundled up in coats and hats and were still shivering.  The problem?  Chiang Mai has decided to have Winter.  It is 52 degrees and pouring down rain.  Those of us from the United States planned on leaving that weather behind and enjoying sunny days near 90 degrees.  Our suitcases are packed with Summer clothes and we have discovered quickly how to layer up.  God obviously has a different plan.(Although the weatherman says God does plan for warm weather to return this weekend).

This week we started classes missing a really key member of our team.  Dr. Bjorn, our Medical Director, was delayed with a medical emergency and his plans to arrive last week -well, they were "his plans". God seemed to have a different one.  And God's provision has been great.  This year we are joined by Dr. Charles Steinberg, an internationally experienced physician who has worked in many different countries, including Myanmar.  He jumped in with both feet and began organizing our week.  Dr. Jove Graham, an ER Resident and Fellow in Global Medicine has added a younger face to our medical team which also includes Dr. Jim Buie and Gayle Buie, a Registered Nurse.  We are certainly grateful that God has a plan and it is good.  And Dr. Bjorn, though a little later than he planned, is currently on his way to Thailand.

In James 4:14 (NLT) we read, "How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow?"  How true!
We are all now just trusting and looking forward to what God has planned for the next five weeks.

Week Two, CHE Training for Year Three Students

This week has been a full week of Community Health Education training at the Kalnin Leadership Center.

David Crist has been back as the CHE instructor, and he is an excellent facilitator. Here is a picture of David teaching in the classroom.

CHE prepares our students to interact with new villages so that the villagers can improve and strengthen their own village together. The Barefoot Doctor students have now had a full three weeks of CHE training, so they are well prepared for this portion of their work when they go home to Myanmar.

We hope to give you more information about this week of training soon, but for now enjoy these pictures from the week of CHE training.  Medical instruction begins next Monday, January 25th.

We also received this week more pictures from the week of Bible training January 11-15.  You can see below the teachers for this week: Simon Percy, Ian Rees, Rich Peterson, and Beveley Kalnin.

 

Week One of Bible Training at Kalnin Leadership Center

Hello, everyone!
I am sorry the blog has been delayed the past week or so.
We had a few pictures sent to us during the first week of Bible training, but we have not had much news to report.
Here are some pictures from the instruction time during Bible week January 11-15.

This second picture is Simon Percy explaining a point he was making.  Simon has come many times from Great Britain to teach in our school, and this time he brought his friend Ian Rees with him.  They also had Rich Peterson from Oregon helping with the Bible instruction this year.  Rich ministers with the Bear Valley Church there which has supported FLC for many years.  He had the pleasure of also preaching at a church in the village of Ban Mai Pattana, a village church that Bear Valley has helped build.  They also helped construct some clean water systems for that village a few years ago.

Here is a group picture taken during Bible week. It includes almost everyone.

I got emails from two of the students during this first week, and both of them said how wonderful these Bible teachers were and how much they learned from them. 
Thanks to these three men of God for sharing a powerful week with our Barefoot Doctor students!
Jon

2016 Classes Begin!!!

The Barefoot Doctors School is open once again! This is the third and final year of training for 19 very dedicated Christians from Myanmar.  They will graduate at the Kalnin Learning Center near Chiang Mai, Thailand on February 27, 2016.

Bible classes began on Monday, January 11th, and they will continue every day this week.  The instructors are:  Simon Percy, Ian Rees, Rich Peterson, and Beverley Kalnin.  They are teaching a variety of topics including:
Preaching from the Gospel of Mark
Servant Leadership
An Overview of the Bible
Intercessory Prayer

Six weeks of medical training will begin on January 18th with further training in CHE (Community Health Education). This is a vital part of the work our Barefoot Doctors do in villages they they are just beginning to have an impact for Christ.

Check back frequently in the coming weeks as the Barefoot Doctor School continues!  Many pictures to follow!