Second Mission Trip To Bethesda Mission Hospital

In March 2007, Dr Simon Wong Ching King, Dr Lee Khoon Siew and me made our first trip to Bethesda Mission Hospital in Serukam, West Kalimantan. We went on behalf of the medical and health team of the Trinity Methodist Church, Kuching.


(This video contains all the pictures we took during the trip and my favourite song `His Strength Is Perfect' by Steven Curtis Chapman)

We came at the time when MMC (Medical Mission Course) was held. MMC was into second year of running in 2007. It gathered young medical graudates from Indonesian medical schools for a time of christian fellowship, spiritual equipping and clinical training before they are allocated a place in Indonesian government hospital for internship. Most chose to go to the most remote places in Indonesia like Irian Jaya, Nusa Tenggara, Lombok, West Timor to serve the people's medical needs in affirmation with their calling from the Lord. Some also came to work in Serukam in response to their calling as medical missionary.

We had a blessed time in 2007, we received more spiritual encouragement from the brothers and sisters here. We shared with them our medical knowledge and skills. Dr Simon Wong gave talks on kidney diseases whilst Dr Tang shared with them in the area of cardiology. Dr Lee led them in the devotion and shared during the Wednesday chapel service. She also imparted her knowledge about medical administration.

The Christian hospital was started by Dr Wendell Geary (US trained surgeon) and his wife, Marjorie Geary (Registered nurse) in early 1960s (even before I was born!). They have been faithfully serving among the Dayak tribe for the last 45 years. Currently the hospital is also staff by local doctors and specialists. They are the most wonderful people you ever meet on earth. They serve and treat each patient with the heart of Christ.

The trip from 2nd to 6th of March 2008 is the second for me and Dr Tan Poh Ting (she came here in 1999/2000) and first time for Dr Simon HUANG (don't confuse with Simon WONG - both are separate individuals with distinctive personalities, they will be offended if you think both HUANG & WONG are the same fellow).

We were warmly welcomed by the people there. Dr Tan taught them in the area of paediatric and gave them her books and some antibiotics. Dr Simon Huang taught them gastroenterology and hepatology. He also assisted in performing ERCP and endoscopy. I taught them cardiology and demonstrated the techniques of echocardiography to the physician and medical officers.

(Video of pictures of 2008 trips)

They were many patients with cardiac problems. 70% of patients who underwent echocardiography for heart failure have severe cor pulmonale almost end stage. You could see gigantic RV with severely compressed LV, plethoric IVC and dilated coronary sinus. Common causes are heavy smoking, post tuberculosis fibrothorax and chronic exposure to smog/smoke from cooking using burning wood. I also did echo on patients with rheumatic valvular problem and congenital heart diseases like ventricular septal defect.

It was truly a rewarding time. We also had Dr Stephen Nash (FRCS London) who is an emergency physician from UK, he teaches emergency medicine to the MMC doctors every year for the last 3 years.

I hope more specialist doctors can join me in making another trip this year, may be June or July 2008. To God be the glory!

Sie Hing

P/S: We fly Batavia Air from Kuching to Pontianak (45 minutes flight). We travel by land from Pontianak to Singkawang (3.5 hours) and from there inland (1 hour) to Serukam. (You can use google map to locate these places.) We pay for our own trip estimated less than $500 ringgits each but we are so richly blessed by the brothers and sisters in Serukam.