What if there was no doctor...

When we were told that most kids that are adopted have medical problems that were unknown, we had no idea that the medical problems would be so hard to figure out.  We have spent numerous hours at the hospital and doctors appointments, given so many different types of medicines to Bohao (so far, none are working) and cried so many tears not knowing what we were going to do (and still do today).  Has Bohao grown so much and improved by leaps and bounds?  Yes!  Would his epilepsy ever been diagnosed if he had stayed in the orphanage?  Maybe not.  Are his doctors doing everything they can to figure out what to do for his type of epilepsy.  Absolutely!

But I can't help but wonder what happens to other kids in undeveloped countries who go through medical situations like this, but have no doctor available or maybe lack to finances to afford the testing or medicine needed.  Suffering with no hope of it ending.

In Cambodia (especially where we work) it's not uncommon for "doctors" to recommend treatment that is unnecessary in order to make more money.  Most villagers don't have the money to pay for their basic needs, much less expensive (and unnecessary) medical testing/procedures.  Most just don't go to the doctor.  Others go in to debt and pay loans for years due to loan sharks.

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Currently, we have a doctor (Sovan) on staff at Cambodia Village Outreach who works with villagers every week seeing between 75-100 people a week.  He has helped so many people at no charge.  He has not only sacrificed his time, but he has also sacrificed his own salary, knowing that he could be better paid somewhere else.  But every week they come.  Villagers line up waiting for their turn.  Word has now spread to other villages that there is a doctor who has good medicine (not bad or fake medicine) that helps.  People are desperate.  Sometimes it's hard for them to believe that he doesn't charge anything.  And even though the work is hard, it's very hot and he doesn't have a proper clinic (or even a room), Sovan continues to work tirelessly to help these people who truly need help. 

But there are still so many more people, not just in Cambodia, but all over the world, who are in the same situation needing help.  They need someone to care and help.  It breaks my heart to know that there are so many people who are hurting with no hope for the future.  

We are so thankful that Bohao does have doctors who are truly looking out for him and doing all that they can to help him and our prayer is that one day, he will no longer struggle with epilepsy and that he will be able to fully develop in the person that God has called him to be.

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