a.m. - Arrive in Yangon
p.m. - Joint activities in SHWEPYITHAR Township
1. Medical services to 200 patients
2. Distributing rice and salt to 70 families
(see Shwepyithar Township Photos)

SHWEPYITHAR Township is northwest of Yangon and has a population of 200,000. It is one mile from Yangon by car via narrow roads and past very poor villages. The area was neglected in the wake of Cyclone Nargis. CTF Thailand went to SHWEPYITHAR Township together with a team of 15 people from Border Areas Development Association (BDA). The team was composed of administrators, medical doctors, nurses, medical students and volunteers. The BDA had already been to the area providing livelihood grants, agriculture tools, mosquito nets, etc. They arranged mobile medical clinics to the affected areas (15 trips serving 4,000 people). The BDA and other NGOs found ophthalmologists to screen people from this area for cataracts. 100 were referred to be treated at the local hospital.

a.m. - Joint activities at Naga Cave Monastery
1. Providing medicines, food, stationary, and rice for 1000 monks, nuns and children [education center]
(see Naga Cave Monastery Photos)

Naga Cave Monastery (Naga Hlainggu Hillock) is full of ancient pagodas, statues of Buddha and stupas. It now serves as a "holy learning center". Students study Buddhism and strive to be good people. They also learn how to read and write. They use Buddhist Scriptures and modern academic study sources. There are 1396 living in this monastery: 72 Monks, 863 Novices, 225 Nuns and 236 students. Most of the latter are orphans, and many of them were the victims of Cyclone Nargis. At the monastery they get free education, food, and shelter. Some become novices or nuns in the monastery so they can get free food, education and shelter. Lunch is the main meal for the people in the monastery. They normally have only one other meal - breakfast.

p.m. - Visiting Lumbini Clinic in HLAINGTHARYA Township

Lumbini Clinic or Lumbini Medical Center in HLAINGTHARYA Township offers medical services 24 hours/day. It was established by a retired medical doctor and an ex-army officer. The clinic is in a small village and the people around this place are very poor. HLAINGTHARYA Township is the gateway from Ayeyarwaddy Delta area to Yangon. Many poor people from Ayeyarwaddy Division seek health treatment in Yangon, but it is normally quite expensive. So many end up at Lumbini Clinic, which has the following departments: Pediatrics; ENT: Obstetrics & Gynecology; Radiology; and Orthopedics, etc. They also provide acupuncture services. There are 70 medical personnel in the clinic. Most of the financial support has come from abroad, and now there is a trust fund. The director of the clinic has developed a membership scheme whereby each member has to pay a membership fee and then they get a discount when they come to get medical services.

All Day - Observing the teaching program of the Civic Society Initiative [DBA volunteer service corps] for children in SOUTH DAGON Township
1. Providing medical care and medicines [150 people]
2. Rice/salt bags [160 families and 10 abandoned elderly];
3. Food
see ( Dagon Township Photos)

SOUTH DAGON is a small township northeast of Yangon in the suburbs. It is about 12 miles away but takes an hour by car because the roads are very bad. The area was hit by Cyclone Nargis and many villagers were affected. Houses were destroyed and many families still had no form of shelter. The Cyclone produced many orphans and isolated elderly. The DBA visited the area regularly, mobilizing volunteer teachers through the Civic Society Initiative (CSI). A weekend education program for 160 students was arranged. There were three major groups, i.e. kindergarten, junior class and adult class. The classes take place in partially finished building. Students sit on the floor. There is also a mobile library with 50 books for children. Fr. Pairat Sriprasert, leader of Camillian team, gave a talk to the adult class. In Asia, the monastery, temple, mosque and the church are the places where people come to gain knowledge. The poor children often come for free schooling, food, and shelter. The Camillian team distributed one bag of rice for all the students and their families. A bag of rice can last for one month, as people normally make rice soup so that they can eat longer.

Another joint activity was providing free medical services and treatment. A temporary tent was set up to serve as a clinic. The BDA group was already organizing a free clinic at this place twice a month. The Camillian team provided many types of medicine for the free clinic and others were left behind for future use. At least 150 patients came to the clinic. One Camillian doctor found a person with a serious illness. He was referred to the local hospital for an operation. However, the patient was very poor and could not afford the operation. The BDA offered to look for financial support. The doctors there were volunteers and served in rotations. There were also some medical students.

a.m. - Joint activities at Zamburatanar Nunnery in KYAUKTAN township
1. Providing medicines
2. Food [lunch for 120 students]
3. Rice/salt [1 sack each for 120 families]
4. Monies for construction of the school, food and kitchen utensils

Zamburatanar nunnery is a place where the BDA provides regular support for education and a free, temporary clinic twice a month. There are total of 120 students divided into 6 classes. Cyclone Nargis destroyed the school and many houses and all the people had to move to the nearby school. The present building with a tilted roof was built soon after the Cyclone as a temporary learning space. Now it need s repair, and a new building is needed urgently. That will cost US$ 6,000. A donor has offered to give US$ 4,000. The Camillian team agreed to give US$ 2,000. Five students have to walk 2 hours and then one hour by bus. The school provides lunch for these 5. Other students they have to bring their own food - usually plain rice. The school normally arranges for a free lunch twice a month that is of good nutritional value. The students do not have any plates or kitchen utensils though. They have to borrow those of others.

There is a government school nearby but these students are very poor and they cannot afford to attend class at the normal hour. And they have no money to buy a school uniform. This monastery school does not require that the students wear a school uniform.

p.m. - Leaving by boat to MAWKYUN Township

The Camillian team and the volunteer doctors of BDA left Yangon for MAWKYUN Township by boat together with normal passengers. It took us eleven hours to reach MAWKYUN Township by boat.

All Day - Pyisimaryone Monastery, MAWKYUN Township
1. Providing medical services [330 patients]
2. Distributing rice
3. Financial support for education grants to cover the expenses of 1097 students at the monastery school for one year.)
(see Pyisimaryone Monastery Photos )

The group was greeted by the monks of Pyisimaryone Monastery at 0300 who took everyone to the Monastery to rest. The Monastery provided shelter and food for the victims of Nargis for at least seven days until the government came to help. They set up a small, free clinic on May 26 to serve the villagers as well as those in nearby villages. In the beginning, there were about one hundred patients per day. There were always two volunteer medical doctors on duty in rotation. The clinic has been open five days per week with morning and afternoon sessions. Severe cases are referred to the hospital.

The Camillian team together with the volunteers from BDA used this clinic to provide medical services and medicines to about 300 patients. A Camillian medical doctor performed a minor surgery on the head of a 3-year old girl. The little one returned for regular wound care. There were many poor families around the monastery and nutrition was a problem. One poor girl was 4 years old but her growth was that of an 18-month old. She was unable to walk. A new clinic will be built to accommodate more poor patients. It will have a minor operation theatre and a post-op recuperation room for two to three day stays.

There about 1,100 students: 400 - primary level; 250 - middle level: 450 - high school level. There are two shifts - morning and afternoon classes. The education is free, including books and stationary. 50 students are orphans, many with only a single parent. The rest are from poor families. The Monastery provides free lunch for all orphans and the other children normally bringing their own.

Joint activities at Ngwe Taung Yan Village, at BOGALE Township
1. Providing medical services [180 patients]
2. Distributing rice/salt/candles [245 families];
3. Jointly with the Monastery setting up a small clinic in the village which the Camillians will support through a supply of medicines for a one year period and the monastery will arrange the medical personnel to run the clinic.
4. Jointly with the monastery the provision of materials for the construction of 10 very simple houses and the monks will mobilize the free labor to build them.
(see Ngwe Taung Yan Village Photos )

The group traveled two and a half hours by boat from Mawkyun to Ngwe Taung Yan Village (community No. 3). There are 6 communities in Ngwe Taung Yan Village. The Cyclone affected communities No. 1, 3 and 5 the worst. These are on the Bogale riverside. The number of deaths in each community was 183; 86 and 279 in communities No. 1, 3 and 5 respectively. Community no. 5 had a total population of 590 at the time so the loss constituted a 50% reduction in the population. At community no. 3, the monastery saved about 200 people by housing them in the upper part of the building during the Cyclone. The houses in community no. 3 were destroyed except the upper floor of the monastery. The Camillian team agreed to finance the purchase of materials for constructing 10 simple houses. After further evaluation, the Camillian team will extend support for more houses.

The Monastery uses the lower floor run a school for 127 students. It is divided into three classes - kindergarten, primary and secondary levels. There were many orphans in these areas.

The Camillian group worked with the BDA to run a mobile clinic to provide medical treatment for three to four hours for the villagers. More than 100 patients came for treatment. The Chief Abbot of the Pyisimaryone Monastery has arranged for two volunteer medical doctors to provide medical service once a month. So there is a need to set up a small clinic. The Camillian team agreed to support the establishment of a small clinic and to supply medicines for one year period. The monastery will arrange for volunteer medical doctors to provide medical services.

The Camillian group distributed a sack of rice with salt and candle for 245 families in this village (communities no. 3, 5).

The Chief Abbot and the Camillian team leader had ongoing discussions regarding future collaboration. One proposal is to help in the area of agriculture.

Thone Khwa Village, MAWKYUN Township
1. Providing medical services [150 patients]
2. Distributing rice/salt [1 sack for each of the families in the village]
(see Village Photos)

The Camillian group traveled 1 and 1/2 hours by boat from MAWKYUN to Thon Khwa Village. The village was not hit directly by the Cyclone. There are 80 families with 348 persons in this village - and there were no casualties. Most of the people are rice farmers.

The Camillian group joined with the BDA to provide medical treatment and services to the villagers for about three hours. The patients had mostly seasonal diseases. Severe cases were referred to the government hospital. Transportation is usually a problem: the place can be reached only by boat.

The Monastery runs a school with 60 students. It is free for primary level and middle level students. The fee is 1,500 Kyats per person per month. If the family has two persons, the fee is 1,000 Kyats per person per month. There is also a government school nearby with 88 students. The government school students have to wear a school uniform and those at the Monastery do not.

UNDP supports the village through a microfinance center (since 10-5-2001). UNICEF supports the education of the children.

At the end of the mission in Mawkyun, the Chief Abbot of Pyisimaryone Monastery in Mawkyun and the President of Saint Camillus Foundation of Thailand agreed to sign a memorandum of understanding. The memorandum concerns collaboration in the area of human resources development in the field education. The Saint Camillus Foundation will provide US$ 8,000 to the monastery school in two installments and contingent on a progress report. The financial support is intended for educational grants for children affected by Cyclone Nargis for one school year according to the following priority: (1) orphans (2) children of single parents and (3) needy children from very poor families. The grants are expected to cover 1097 students. The memorandum was signed on October 9, 2008.

Return to Yangon and Bangkok

The Camillian and BDA group returned to Yangon very early in the morning. The President of the BDA came to the hotel to meet with the President of Saint Camillus Foundation of Thailand for a very short debriefing regarding the activities of the team and future collaboration. Then the Camillian group left Yangon for Bangkok.

Like most foreign relief groups wanting to help after Cyclone Nargis, the Camillians encountered several obstacles from the beginning. Most were generated by the Government of Myanmar who prevented the entry of people, material resources, and money into the predominately Buddhist country. Communications via phone and internet were very difficult, and transportation in the country was quite a challenge. But the Camillians and their collaborators were not to be stymied, particularly under the leadership of Fr. Rocco Pairat Sriprasert, MI. They were determined to witness to the merciful love of Christ for the poor and the sick by providing medical, pastoral and humanitarian support for those affected by Cyclone Nargis.

The October 3-10 disaster relief mission of CTF Thailand was its first foray into Myanmar. The mission was a success: the Camillian Hospital Team helped many people with food, medical care, educational assistance and shelter; many fruitful relationships were formed; sustainable agreements were made. The stage was set for continued collaboration between CTF Thailand; the DBA and the good people in the townships affected by the Cyclone. That collaboration would be evident in the preparation for and implementation of CTF Thailand's second Myanmar disaster relief mission. That would be another opportunity to help the neediest of the needy - to serve Christ in them.