From the Field: Looking Forward to a New Academic Year
“He is not here; He has risen!”
LUKE 24:6 NIV
Resurrection Sunday Celebrations
This year, Resurrection Sunday at RTC felt a little different from previous years. For the first time, we gathered for a service before sunrise, and it brought back many memories for people, reminding them of times when they used to pray in their hometowns.
We also prepared a special decoration with an empty tomb, the stone rolled away, and the cross, reminding us of Jesus’ love and the power of His resurrection.
After the morning service, we had an egg hunt for the children — but soon, the adults joined in, too! It became a joyful moment as many were reminded of their childhoods. We even had prizes for those who collected the most eggs, and both Dr. Hsa and Samuel joined in the fun and received prizes as well.
Overall, it was a beautiful day filled with joy and laughter. It reminded us again that the resurrection brings hope, joy, and love, even in the midst of a world that can feel full of hopelessness, sadness, and hatred.
New and Returning Students Jump Into the New Year
The boot camp program concluded with a closing ceremony on April 4.
All graduating students are looking forward to diving into Year 1!
Please pray for all our students as they start their new academic year: 62 PA students and 16 E-Tech students.
Pray for safety in their learning environment and for their willingness to learn and study.
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In March, PA training continued across year levels 2-5 with a combination of lectures, workshops, and practical learning.
Year 1 incoming students completed boot camp and now will start their academic year.
After completing medical foundation subjects, medical mathematics, and other general courses in Year 1, the Year 2 PA students spent five weeks in Mae Sariang to begin studying medical conditions and treatments, with a strong focus on clinical training, particularly history-taking and physical examination. They received lectures from Dr Nant Htet on Public Health and clinical topics, along with training. Dr Sha taught History Taking and Physical Examination. Marian, a guest lecturer from Perth, Australia, conducted a workshop on distress, empathy, communication, and health care in conflict settings.
Year 3 and Year 4 students were on a scheduled holiday rotation. Although no formal lectures were held, those remaining at RTC participated in bedside teaching and SOAP-based case discussions with clinical instructors.
Year 5 students focused on internship preparation and continued practicing clinical documentation through SOAP note sessions.
SOAP (Subjective, Objective, Assessment, Plan) is a structured method for patient case documentation and clinical decision-making.
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During March, E-tech training was divided between Year 1 and Year 2 students, focusing on both project management and construction skills.
Year 1 students were introduced to project management concepts, learning essential skills such as communication, planning, and leadership, as well as the key phases of a project lifecycle, including initiation, planning, execution, monitoring, and closing. In construction, they studied basic design calculations using a simple building example, with a focus on roof and truss systems to understand how structures function and transfer loads.
For Year 2 students, the training focused more on estimation and structural design. They learned how to calculate rebar quantities for building structures through practical examples, and studied column design, including how to calculate and properly arrange reinforcement for structural stability. Overall, the sessions helped students strengthen both their theoretical understanding and practical skills, preparing them for real-world applications.
Exciting Updates to the RTC Facility
The Micro Hydro Project
Enabling electricity usage in the campus extension
Right now, the micro generator is charging batteries with 6.5 to 7 kWh per day, which means there’s electricity for all the campus extension houses. As the community grows and the electricity usage increases, the hydro turbine will increase the charging according to the load. There seems to be an issue with air building up inside the pipe, especially in high spots in the pipe. Our staff engineers are working on a way to vent the air from the pipe and potentially increase the output capacity of the system. This project will provide electricity for 16 staff houses, the primary school, the admin office, and one dorm. The hope is that the hydro generator will ultimately meet all our electrical needs and that the diesel generator would serve as a backup.
Campus Extension Update
This year, we built 16 staff houses, as well as a boy's dorm, a foreign guest house, a primary school, a kitchen with a dining room and food storage, an admin office, and toilets. All the buildings were built with wooden posts, bamboo walls, a floor, and a tin roof. Each house has a concrete floor toilet with tin walls and roofing. The electricity is supplied from the micro hydro and water from the natural farming area. Right now, we’re trying to make the overflow from the hydro turbine part of our water supply.
Medical Storage Building Update
This year, the medical supply storage building was completed with a concrete floor, brick walls, and doors and windows. It’s now being used for some medical supply storage.
RTC Hospital
In March, the patient load remained high, with 64 surgeries, including 20 emergency cases. Compared with February, outpatient visits increased, while admissions, surgeries, and conflict-related cases decreased somewhat, showing how quickly the situation can change. The conflict-related injuries affecting hands, chests, and limbs were caused by blasts and airstrikes. Some critical patients were referred for advanced care.
This reflects both the challenging conditions and the strong dedication of healthcare workers in continuing to provide care.
Please pray for all the patients who come to our hospital, that they receive good care, safety, and the love of Jesus all around them.
Naw Gay One Year Later
It’s now been a year since the bombing on March 8, 2025. Naw Gay was with two of her friends, who were also community health workers, and as they were on their way home from the front lines, an airstrike hit them directly. Her friends were killed, and she was eventually evacuated to Thailand for medical treatment.
For the first days and weeks, it was very uncertain whether she would survive. In the past year, she has had countless surgeries. But a year later, things are slowing down, as she is relearning many activities of daily living, given her new limitations. She continues to see plastic surgeons and orthopedic doctors to manage her care. We have all wanted her recovery to be much faster, but healing takes time.
However, in the past year, she has witnessed an incredible outpouring of love from around the world as so many have donated and prayed for her. Her resilience and strength is beyond inspiring. But it’s still hard. There will be many more doctor appointments, more surgeries with recovery and subsequent rehabilitation, challenges she has yet to overcome, and she will need patience for God’s timing.
Thank you for your continued prayers and support for Naw Gay!
Update provided by Dr. Jeanne
Thai Program: Building a Concrete Court for Ban Nadoy School
Ban Nadoy School is about a two-and-a-half-hour drive through the mountains from our Mae Sariang office. Our Thai Foundation donated 57 bags of cement to this school recently. Before, the school had only a dirt field for its 200 or so students to play sports on. Now, with the donated cement, it will have a volleyball court and multi-purpose activity area.
The students range in age from 6 to 15, and most live at the school in dormitories, since the school is about two hours from the nearest city and most of their families. That means play facilities at the school itself are extra important.
Pray for these students that they study well. We’re thankful that they have a concrete court to play on!
