I will tell you about the last trip that we made out to the villages.  I had actually intended to go to this other village which may be reached only by boat, but as the others were nervous of the water in this season, we only made it to the Kyauk-tan area this time, to PaDaWa.

We took cooking utensils, lentils, potatoes, onions, biscuits, stuff for the school children, clothes, rice;  and of course we offered our medical skills.

This village is not so isolated, so they are able to go for medical help when they need it.  But as they are so poor, they go for help only in extreme circumstances.  For instance, there was an old Indian lady with a hugely infected foot, for a month she had been suffering.  It needed hospital care, and we could only leave her with some medication and money to get herself to the nearby clinic.

For the giving of the donations, we assembled in the monastery grounds, and our little impromptu clinic was set up at someone's house.  The villages in this area do not believe in the need for sanitation.  The toilets are emptied into the stream, with pigs scrounging around.  They need to build proper toilets and receive health education.

There were two doctors along with us this time, the rest being our relatives who had joined us for the trip, including my sister who is a teacher at the irrigation school.  And friends of mine, and those of my mother-in-law.  Next Sunday, the plan is to go again to this village, taking more provisions for those households we had to leave out last time.  Your little auntie is planning to come along.  I am not sure about going out of the city myself, as the free clinic in Yangon has opened again.

The other week, my little one turned three and there was a celebration at home (see letter of July 15th).  And the older girl will turn eight at the end of the month.

I would really like to get out to MawLaMyaingKyun village (Mawgyun), and villages in the far Delta region.  I think we have to receive government permission to go there.

On the return from PaDaWa village last time, we stopped by at the meditation centre where I ordained for a brief period as a nun last January.  I made donations there and had intended to offer medical attention there, but the nun who was to arrange it was out getting supplies for the people attending the meditation course.  I will phone and see if this can be arranged for the coming Sunday, in which case I will go along on the next trip.  More news later, remembering you ~ MaH