We had a great visit and he brought a dear friend of mine who had to be in hiding. Her husband had either been captured or defected to the other side and she and her children were in danger. We hugged each other and cried for all the cruelty life throws at us. I gave her money from her sponsor and made arrangements to see her and her children again in a few days. Tay and the driver left and said they'd be back at 10. Bin Sha and I met Rudy, Jeff and Bee for breakfast.

Jeff is our SE Asia Logistics coordinator and was in Mae Sot on business. It was great to see him again. I had to hurry so I could separate what I was taking to give away at Mu Aye Pu and what I was putting in storage room at hotel. I checked out of my room to save money because I knew it would be at least 2 days before I made it back. Last year IAG had financed the building of a clinic/hospital at Mu Aye Pu and $300.00 a month is sent to feed the patients, medics and nurses. I was anxious to see the hospital and meet the medics that I had been corresponding with every month.

Tay and driver picked us up and they insisted I sit inside the truck. The back was filled with supplies and people going to the celebration with us. It was a nice hour and half drive. As we drove along the Moei River I remembered all the times we had gone up and down the river by boat to access remote villages. Since 1995, the river has not been safe for us to ride on due to Burmese snipers patrolling the banks on the Burma side.

We finally arrived at the river bank where we would load into boats to be taken across into Burma and the new headquarters of the Karen National Liberation Army. I was so excited to see so many of my old friends there and soon it was like I had never left.

I was very impressed with the hospital! It was made of lumber with leaf roof and was pretty impressive for a jungle clinic. God is so good to supply us with the funds to build this. We are currently serving about 15 villages and many Internally Displaced People who have moved into the area to be close to medical care and protection from the soldiers guarding the area.

I was surprised to see they had built a small wooden guest house behind the hospital for us to stay in. I was given a little room by myself with a mat on the floor, a blanket and mosquito net. I always travel with my own pillow so I was all set!

An old friend, Dr. Larry Mueller from California, was already there and we sat and caught up on all the news. He comes over every year and does surgery wherever he can, mostly in the border clinic run by Dr. Cynthia just outside Mae Sot.

There were huge stages erected on 2 sides of the parade grounds and generators and loud speakers. Larry told me there would be Karen bands, traditional Dohn dancers and skits performing all night long!

I was taken on a tour of the small hospital and could see the pride in the 2 medics faces as I exclaimed over the wooden beds they had built for the patients. All the clinics/hospitals I had been in before, the patients all slept on the floor on mats. Our organization had provided mats, blankets, mosquito nets and personal hygiene items for the medics, nurses and patients as well as food each month. I was so very happy to see all the Lord had made possible for us here in the jungle setting.

While we were having dinner, the music started and it was literally so loud we could hardly hear ourselves talking in the little guest house. The loud speakers were set up and aimed right toward us! About 10 pm I was so tired I just couldn't stay up any longer and after brushing my teeth out behind the guest house I said good night and laid down on my mat. The music was so loud that it wasn't possible to relax and drift off to sleep, but I'm sure I did sleep some through that long long night!

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