Cambodian Sunset... I love this picture.

Cambodia Highlights ... yay

Welcome to my Cambodia pictures... I'll walk you through my journey.

This is a picture of the Throne Hall (Preah Tineang tevea Vinichhay) in the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia. The second picture is a model of Ankor Wat, the symbol of Khmer pride, the great temple built in AD1100's at the height of the Ankor Empire. Behind the model on left is a little house on a stand. It is a 'spirit house' where many Buddhist/animists make offerings to appease the spirits. You can find spirit houses everywhere in Southeast Asia, its presence symbolized the invisible spiritual oppression of Satan.

The typical day in Phnom Penh, the heavy morning air filled with burning trash on the sides of streets, mix with beckoning aroma of the Khmer breakfast, and bustling scenes of business dealings, along with stench of the motor exhaust... ahhh, so full of life! The next picture is a woman sorting through rice to hand pick out impurities. Khmer rice is special, like other Asian rices, it has a special aroma and consistency.

The village, and me on a bamboo bridge! It was bouncy!

Skinny cow, and a poor rendition of the 'spirit house.' Some salted fish, a Khmer stable, they eat this with rice. That is what gets most village people through life.

Beautiful village kids.

Middle class housing... no railings. Kids at a school. Go back to class!

Ankor Wat, this is where my camera died.

Ta Prohm. Go ahead, crush those stone Mr. Tree!

All creation groan waiting for the sons of God to be revealed. I believe it.

Battlefield Acupuncture

I was so excited to see this article appear in the Spring 2009 edition of Acupuncture Today. So, let me tell you the story. When I was taking my medical acupuncture training back in December 2008, I learn about a technique called 'Battlefield Acupuncture.' It is a technique discovered by a US Air Force physician, Col. Dr. Niemtzow, and he has been using this 'secret' in the battlefield of the Iraq war and the war in Afghanistan... and it has worked wonders for wounded soldiers. Basically, it is a technique of 5 acupuncture needles to specific points of the ear that changes any pain level from, ex. 8/10 pain, to 1.5/10 pain. Amazing huh?! Well, it worked! I've seen it done by the instructor of the course I'm currently taking, Joseph Helms MD, the founder of the Helms Medical Institute.

So, according to this article, seeing the effectiveness of Dr. Niemtzow's work, the US Air Force, a government agency, has approved 32 scholarships for Air Force physicians to be trained in Medical Acupuncture! They are collaborating with the Helms Medical Institute for this effort!

Yay, this is going to be very good for the soldiers who are suffering with pain, and acupuncture with Chinese Medicine could also have amazing efficacies in addressing Post-Traumatic Stress. It is so exciting. As I'm studying more of this art of Chinese medicine and acupucture, I can see more uses for its applications grow with each patient I encounter.

(*) "First they killed my father" - A book that deepened my love for the Cambodian people

This is an awesome book! A very heart wrenching book, not for the weak of heart. I read this book in 2 days and many parts made me cry. My heart was moved for the injustice and pain they had to endure. I cannot imagine the hunger, the waiting, and the emotional/physical torture that they had to endure. I felt that this book gave me a very good idea of what it was like to live through the darkest part of human history. In a small part, I understand.

As I read on and reflect, I cannot imagine God's beautiful creatures, such as the Cambodian people, mistreat each other in the name of 'hardwork' and 'ethnic purity.' My thoughts take me to many other similar examples such as: the welded iron letters on Dauchau's gates claiming that 'work is salvation;' the war children in Uganda as documented in the movie "War Dance;" the Japanese occupation of Taiwan that my grandparents survived through; the Manchurian massacre by the Japanese; the ethnic cleansing by the Nazi's around WWII; the ethnic cleansing in Rwanda as depicted in "Hotel Rwanda;" and many many more... Many are not mentioned, war-crimes never brought to justice, war-criminals never tried... A complete disregard for the santity of life is a complete disregard for God.

In fact, as I ponder this point, it makes sense why things like this happen. When we denied the existance of God, things like this happen. I cannot imagine the world without the presence of God and the Holy Spirit. As we think about the topic of how God protects us, here is the evidence.

I have spend the last 3 weeks in Cambodia, mainly in the capital, Phnom Penh. I also spent sometime in Siem Reap visiting the Wats (temples) and 2 days in Battambang visiting some friends. I found that there are many unique features of this land previously unknown to me. I'm impressed with their (1) rich past history of their culture and once the largest empires in southeast Asia, (2) evidences of their turbulent near past with the Pol Pot/Khmer Rouge oppression 30 years ago to this year, and (3) the beauty of their people.

Another interesting fact is that 75% of the present 15 million population are less than 30 years of age, and 50% of them are under age 21. Talk about the age distribution!!! 35 years ago, the Khmer Rouge, the 'Red Communist' soldiers, raised in power with their leader, Pol Pot, in April 1975 and was put out of power by the Vietnamese army in January 1979. The Khmer Rouge killed about 2 million of a total of 7 million people during those 5 years of tyrrany. Their objective was to restore ethnic purity to the 'true' Ankor Empire that was made up of only 'hard working Khmer people.' Which means that they kill anyone with an education or any foreigners (non-Khmer). Inevitabily, their crazy ideas also killed many of their own. The atrocities are detailed in this book.

It is this very reason that every Cambodian-origin person you meet today over the age of 30 will have gone through this tragedy and quite possibly have witness family dying under the iron fists of Pol Pot. It is a population with incredible Post-Traumatic Stress, yet, not many talk about it. Many of these people are forever locked in their emotions and has trouble with forgiveness, trust, and change. In contrasted, the 75% of under-30's Cambodian youth today that has never experienced the war holds a very different sets of values than the former. Eventhough, they have seen the evidence of the war in their parents, the war is not their story. I find the youth in Cambodia to be quite vibrant and open and wanting change. Many of them want justice. It will be exciting to see what happens next. This is a culture in transition as we speak...

We need to act. As communist idea purges religious practices, the freedom and openness to choice is now. As you and I know, our desire for spiritual fulfillment will never be quenched. People are seeking. People are putting faith into things that inspire fear and shame. As their brother and sisters, we need to develope character and integrity in the youth of Cambodia before the 'oppressive - materialism' that has plagued many 'westernized' countries takes over. Another issue is that the current Priminister of Cambodia is an ex-Khmer Rouge, and has prevented many of the war-criminals of Pol Pot's regime from coming before justice. He has been heard to say that if he does not get re-elected as PM this coming election, he will promise a civil war. Please pray for this country. I have come to love this country and its people. I think they are beautiful with a fervent heart for the LORD and the Good News. Pray for courage. Pray for encouragement. Pray for strength to live as Christ lived. Pray for transformation. Pray for revival. Pray for the youth!

In short, I am going to write much more about Cambodia... I have been deeply moved and am wondering what this experience means to me and my future. I want to tell you all about it and post some pictures, so, stay tuned...

(*) Mother India

Here is a song lyric I want to share. It's not a new song, but a song that touched me. Imagine as we sit before our computers in our comfortable home, there is a large population of people in India that are suffering social injustice. They are called the Dalits (='downtrodden'), the "untouchables," or simply 'outside the caste system.' This is where you get the words and meaning of 'out-caste' or 'caste-out.' They are about a population of 250million people, roughly the size of the entire US population. Traditionally, they are treated worst than slaves. A lot of them have very little potential to succeed in the Indian society partly due to the 'Caste System,' partly due to traditions that other Indians hold on to. Jesus Christ, Son of God, in very nature God, declared that all man to be equal. Jesus spoke against the miss treatment of the poor, orphans, and widowed. Jesus also said that He will be their defender! Here are more information if you are interested:

http://www.dalitnetwork.org/
http://www.dalitvoice.org/

Mother India by Caedmon's Call
Father God, You have shed Your tears for Mother India
They have fallen to water ancient seeds
That will grow into hands to touch the untouchable
How blessed are the poor, the sick, the weak

Father, forgive me, for I have not believed
Like Mother India, I have groaned and grieved
Father, forgive me, I forgot Your grace
Your Spirit falls on India and captures me in Your embrace

The serpent spoke and the world believed its venom
Now we're ten to a room or compared with magazines

There's a land where our shackles turn to diamonds
Where we trade in our rags for a royal crown
In that place, our oppressors hold no power
And the doors of the King are thrown wide

Lone Pelican on Oceanside Pier (I really like the composition)

Happy New Year 2009!

What can I say? I'd never miss my own party.

Few weeks in Cambodia...

To fellow beloved, I want to tell you about my trip to Cambodia in a few days. Please pray for the team of physicians and I as we work to set up some health programs there. The trip comprises many different facets for caring of the people in need.

Purpose: About 75% of Cambodia is considered rural and medically under-served. There are many villages there without the care of a doctor. I was invited to go on this trip with a pediatrician who has worked to improve quality of child care in orphanages around the world. Our objectives are several: teaching of health aids to take care of villagers, set up an evaluation process that is to be carried out in times to come as way of quality assessment of our program, evaluation of orphanages, and talking with the embassy regarding international adoption issues.

Preparation: I had a lot of experience setting up assessments and analyzing data from studies, however, I haven't had a lot of experience helping to set up health promotion programs on the ground. So, I have been personally doing some reading regarding to information and history of the country and its people, plus additional reading about 'community health program' and other written wisdom of working in countries where there are not many doctors. I have also asked many of you as prayer and support partners. I don't know how many of you have committed to praying, but I know that you guys have already covered more than 90% of the funds needed for me to go. Our F'ather is great! I trust Him greatly and I also trust you guys and appreciate you guys for the prayer coverage. I know that prayers are the most important tool we have in the caring for His beloved.

Follow up: So, I will be keeping a journal with me. I don't expect to have any sort of connection to you for the next month. I may possibly be traveling from site to site and will not have a way to be connected to you. So, as soon as I return, I will try to post some pictures and some results of the trip. For those of you that supported me through this trip, I believe that you are there with me. I also believe that you will see your offerings multiply in unexpected ways. I appreciate your partnership.

What I need you to do: Pray earnestly for my team and I... for unity, for flexibility to learn and to move as He directs, and for effective witness. I will be connecting with you when I can. Blessings!!!

Ventura Interview...

To my faithful friends and family... I've recently finished my interviews for the family medicine residency, with my last one at the program in the Ventura County Medical Center. This is a wonderful program! I am very delighted to have spent some time there and also to be interviewed there. This program is the OLDEST program in CA and possibly the oldest program of family medicine specialty in the country. The program of 'General Practice' started in 1928, and when Family Medicine became a specialty, it was the first to start in CA in 1969. This program is also the largest family medicine program with 14 candidates in each class. Why did I chose this program to interview among other programs? Well, I wanted a 'broad spectrum' training. From caring for pregnant women to deliverying their babies to taking care of both mom and baby and the family. I think this is how medicine should be, and it was the way medicine was done for thousands of years.

With our current healthcare situation of specialty heavy care, I think the ability to provide continuity of care has diminished. Why would anyone want to go to gazillion different specialists for care, with everyone of them just focusing on a part of the whole body and no one tracking how the entire person is doing? I think this is where Family Doctors are important. However, with our current system, family doctors do not get reimbursed very well compared to specialist... hence, the reason why majority of medical school graduates are going into specialties. Unless there are ways to standardize the payments, it is almost not financially feasible for family physicians to pay off our immense student-loans compared to specialists.

However, with much evaluation and temptation, I've realized that being a doctor is about taking care of people, and being a patient advocate. It is about being a resource for patients. It is about seeing what the patients and their communities need before they see it. It is about helping people to being able to adapt to their ever changing environment. We, as physicians, hold tremendous responsibility, and were given the unique opportunity to make our future together better than the past.

I can write like this for another hour, but I'll spare you. Let me just end with my experience at Ventura. In my opinion, I interviewed them as well as they interviewed me. I felt that I did my best in trying to find out where is going to be my home for at least the next 3 years. I've spent over 1 month of time working with their doctors and getting to know their residents. I am very impressed with people's credentials here. I am also impressed with how knowlegeable their family physicians are here. Being a county program and their association with UCLA, as the primary physicians in the hospital, their Family Doctors still run the ICU, still deliver babies, and do C-sections. Being a Trauma Center and a base for paramedics, their family medicine residents still run the trauma codes and follow patients into trauma surgeries with the trauma surgeons. They also have a wonderful clinic where they provide continuity of care for their patients, who they may have delivered their babies or taken care of them in the hospital. There, they also have an Osteopathic medicine clinic, where the D.O. residents can apply their art of OMT to their patients. Being a strong allopathic program linked with UCLA, this is a plus in my book.

So, overall, a program 1 mile from the surfs, sunny California with good weather year round, and a strong broad-spectrum program... I would recommend this program to anyone.

Tail

My time here in Cottonwood/Sedona is nearing the end. I will be parting ways with the natural beauty, the big hooked-up bachelor pad, my favorite fireplace (my constant hangout and companion), and all the great ER staff. I am heading back to Phoenix for a test on Friday, and will be coming home to California. You know, living the way I did for a month, with all my necessities taken cared for... I think I've had enough. I am ready for a new change: a change of scenery, a change of location, and a change of crowd. I am looking forward for Christmas with my lovely family, and also to finish my interviews for residency.

This last few days in Cottonwood/Sedona has been pretty cold and raining... there were even piles of snow in Sedona on my hike a few days ago... and today, there are snow covering the mountain behind my hooked-up bachelor pad. It makes me want to make some trips up to Colorado or Mammoth to go snowboarding... man, I remember snowboarding at the French Alps a few years ago... no experiences before or after has ever compared to how exhilarating that ride was!

Ok, so, I am ready for some holiday family love. Cheerios mate.