May has been a pretty quiet month at the Burma Children Medical Fund's B. K. Kee Patient House except for our Sunday visits. Each week has been a new opportunity to talk with the patients and caregivers. We have found that we need to be flexible in how we interact with patients and it is much easier when we have enough members of our “team” to work one-on-one or in small groups. Having the participation of our BEAM students has really helped. We have found that whether English-language sharing or playing games or just talking, everyone is more engaged and happier when we can work closely.
At the beginning of the month we had three BEAM students, but student Aung Khong who has completed his GED training and has been accepted at university was also accepted as an intern for the summer at the Child Protection unit at Mae Tao Clinic and, thus, returned to Mae Sot. It is our hope that his experiences at “The House” will help with his work there.Consider our language-sharing activities: Some patients are true beginners and we concentrate on very simple words and phrases. But several others, especially one young 15-year-old who has been to the house several times with urinary problems is at an eight to tenth grade level and is bored with beginner lessons. Mwe Kham worked closely with him for three weeks in May using a more advanced textbook.
We had a 72-year-old patient who could speak English very well, but he has a condition with his jaw that gives him a great deal of pain whenever he talks. So, we play games. And, there is a five-year-old young lady with a tumor on her eye who attracts Saing Sint's attention with drawing and coloring and children’s games. (at left)
The last Sunday in May the residents had a special treat when Rotarian Maliwan visited (top left). She spent most of her time with a 14-year-old girl practicing English, showing her the English names of items throughout the compound, playing games and teaching her how to take selfies with her phone.
There is so much reward for just a few hours of investment on a Sunday morning and one doesn't have to commit to come every Sunday to become a part of this project. As we've seen, the patients and caregivers respond so well when we can work with them one-on-one or in small groups. Please consider joining us.