From the Field
“You are a God of hope; fill me with all joy and peace as I trust in You, so that I may overflow with hope by the power of your Holy Spirit.”
ROMANS 15:13 (paraphrased)
Earthquake Update
Myanmar’s 7.7 magnitude earthquake on March 28 has affected our whole region. Our staff and students at Rain Tree Clinic and Chiang Mai are safe, but so many other people have been killed, injured, or displaced.
Please continue to pray for God’s hope and peace. Pray for wisdom as we try to take care of this impossible healthcare crisis. God is the God of the impossible.
If you would like to support earthquake relief efforts, you can give here:
Meet the New Students
The new 2025 academic year is starting for both Physician Associate (PA) and Engineering Tech (E-Tech) students! The newly selected 13 PA and 7 E-Tech students finished their 4-week boot camp physical training on April 5. Read about one student’s experience:
My name is Naw Paw Lah Hay. I am from K-3, Ler Doh Township. I am attending Bootcamp training to prepare for Year 1 of the Physician Associate (PA) Program.
The first two weeks of Bootcamp were very difficult. I was not used to running long distances, so my body was in pain. Sometimes I felt very tired. By the third week, I started to adjust, and it became easier.
The hardest part for me was swimming because I do not know how to swim. We had to swim in the stream twice a week. I swallowed a lot of water but I was not afraid. My friends and trainers were always there to help me.
During Bootcamp, I learned the value of teamwork. I also learned that training is not easy, and I must be strong. Sometimes I wanted to cry, but I told myself to keep going. I reminded myself that this is not just for me. It is for my people and their future.
I have wanted to join the PA Program for a long time because it has good training and takes five years to complete. After the coup, many people died or suffered from trauma injuries. Diseases have also increased, but there are not enough healthcare workers in my community.
My family, leaders, and friends always encourage me to become a Physician Assistant. Their support gives me strength. I will do my best to help my people.
PA PROGRAM // Training in March
Year 1 students completed their 4-week boot camp physical training on April 5 and have started their classroom learning!
Year 2 students were at the Mae Sariang Training Center for 5 weeks to study history taking, physical exams, cough, and fever. This was their first time in Thailand! They enjoyed sightseeing, 7-11 shopping, and restaurants. They returned on RTC on April 7.
Year 3, 4 & 5 students are covering the clinic and surgical center, gaining practical experience through rotations in the inpatient and outpatient departments. Year 5 students also visited nearby villages to provide public health education.
Surgical PA training continues at RTC. Our first batch of 6 students has advanced to Year 2, and a new Year 1 class has now started with 4 students! They have classes, but their main focus is hands-on surgical training.
E-TECH PROGRAM // Continuing Practical Skills at RTC
The E-Tech students continued working on the OPD renovation project, learning bricklaying and wall smoothing techniques. They also put in ceilings for the TB room and lab room.
As part of their electrical work, they installed a large donated light in the operation room and two air conditioners. For safety, they placed steel plates over the glass windows to protect patients and doctors in case of an airstrike.
The students and staff engineers at RTC worked together to troubleshoot and find solutions for solar power systems, water supply issues, and truck repairs. This hands-on experience is building their practical problem-solving skills for real-world situations.
Our E-Techs are quickly deepening their knowledge in both construction, electrical/solar, and engine repair.
RAIN TREE CLINIC // New Inpatient Department building almost complete!
In March, the Rain Tree Clinic saw 533 outpatients, admitted 106 inpatients, performed 64 surgeries, and delivered 12 babies. Six patients were referred to Thailand for advanced care.
Pray for Naw Gay, a 25 year old medic, who was severely burned by a fire bomb in a trench. It took 3 days to transport her to RTC for stabilizing care. She was then referred to Thailand and is now in Chiang Mai with burns over her face and both legs. She is being treated by a plastic surgeon and several of our staff are visiting her. Pray for our staff who took care of her on arrival to RTC and for other patients arriving with injuries—we don’t want to see people suffer like this. Pray for God’s healing and peace.
Our teams across Chiang Mai, Mae Sariang, and RTC continue to buy and ship many supplies before rainy season starts. In February and March, we transported supplies the whole distance several times a week—800 boxes, 150 bags of cement, and many construction supplies on over 20 trips by boats and trucks. Obviously, Amazon and other delivery services do not deliver here! Pray for those who drive the boat and the trucks, for safety along the way.
The big diesel and petrol order arrived! Not your normal gas station—instead, it came to our door. Thank you to all who contributed to this cost and for praying!
Our new IPD is going up! Next to be installed are the interior finishes, electrical wiring, sleeping areas for on-call staff and students, and filled-earth bags around the perimeter for bomb protection. We also plan to secure a leaf roof over the metal roof for cooling and camouflage against air attacks. A second dry food store building is being built since there are so many people around the campus—staff, students, families, and patients. Pray for our staff to complete these projects before the rainy season, and for protection from all who would want to stop this process.
MOBILE KAREN SURGICAL HOSPITAL // The war continues…
In March, the M*K*S*H team saw 126 outpatients, took care of 59 war related injuries, and admitted 34 patients. Twenty-eight surgeries, including 5 below-the-knee amputations, were performed for injuries related to bomb blasts, mortar explosions, gunshots, and landmines.
Please pray for God’s strength and peace for our team taking care of these serious injuries, and for all patients and villagers affected. We don’t want people to suffer like this.
Thank You Australia
Help us spread the Earth Mission story!
This month, Dr. Mitch Ryan, Caryl Ryan, and Lek Tivakorn (RTC Finance & HR Administrator) have traveled throughout Australia on a special celebration tour at the invitation of Sustain Projects Myanmar. Dr. Mitch was the main speaker! They have been to Perth WA, Sunshine Coast, QLD, Brisbane QLD, and Lismore NSW, and are in Sydney NSW until April 14.
Please pray for new and ongoing connections in Australia.