On January 1st I traveled with a team of 13 people under the Medical Teams International (MTI) title (on a side note MTI also runs a few local dental vans. They are actually RVs equipped with 2 dental chairs that they travel around to Portland elementary schools and provide free dental care to the "underserved". As a dental student I have been out of the the van a few times and it is great) Visit www.medicalteams.org for more information. The team was lead by a seasoned dentist, Dr. Dale Canfield. This was Dr. Canfield's 7th and apparently his last trip to Cambodia in 7 years. The team also included 2 other dentist, three senior dental students from OHSU (myself included), one hygienist, one certified dental assistant and dental equipment tech, and five lay-workers. Many of us meeting for the first time at the airport.
Three of the group including one dentist were Cambodians. In fact it was later decided that if our trip was a season of Survivor, Dr. Franklin Young (the Cambodian refugee) would be the last one voted off the island. He was amazing. We also teamed up with Foursquare Children of Promise (FCOP) in Cambodia. FCOP runs over 100 orphanages throughout Cambodia, and many other programs and facilities to support the children. (www.missionreports.com/cambodia and www.warmblankets.com) After the VERY long flights (we arrived in Phnom Penh on Jan. 3rd), we were greeted by our in country guides, Josh and Michelle. They are a newlywed couple spending there first year of marriage volunteering in Cambodia. (sorry I know this first part is loaded with links, but also look at http://fergusonmissions.com/ They were a blast to be around and OH so helpful.
Our first stop in Cambodia was at the FCOP headquarters, where Josh gave us a brief tour, explaining what it is that their organization does.
We were then bussed off to our hotel, but just for a moment before we jumped back on to the bus and went the the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (Former Prison S.21 “Kampuchea Democratic,” 1975-1979.) What a somber experience that was.
After Pol Pot and the Khmer Rough came to power in 1975 they converted this High School into a prison/interrogation center/torture chamber. Thousands and thousands of Cambodians were put to death at this location and several estimates place the total death rate during the Communist regime at 2 million people including nearly all of the educated people.
Admittedly I knew very little about Cambodia before this trip and if you are like I was, I would ask you to learn more. This genocide has decimated a nation that is just now back on the up swing after a lot of help from its global neighbors. The museum was a great place to start because it gave us an intimate look at the recent history these people are dealing with. Many Cambodia's still shy away from talking about that time of their life when they were ripped from their homes and family, worked to the brink of death and starvation, and were witness to so much violence and death.
The rest of the day was spent walking around the city and soaking in the culture in the street markets. By culture I mean some very crazy food, friendly people, chaotic roads, and very little personal space.
We met up as a group that evening and had a great meal at the Foreign Correspondence Club. By recommendation from a faculty member at OHSU I ordered the Red Curry and it did not disappoint. MORE ABOUT MY TRIP TO CAMBODIA TO COME....
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