Bamu River PNG, with YWAM medical ship.

We’re spending 2.5 weeks volunteering on the MV Pacific Link, a medical shop run by YWAM, delivering health care to remote PNG.  On board are volunteer doctors, dentists, optomertrists, boat crew and general volunteers.  The 3rd outreach for this year is on the Bamu River.

    These are a few of the faces of the village of Mirawu.      
The group is split into a few teams – Primary Health Care, with the doctors, nurses and midwife, Optometry, and Community Engagement.  The dental clinic is on board Pacific Link, and dental patients are transferred by zodiac.

Teams set up in the village in any space available (usually a church or community hall), patients are registered to see a doctor, optomertirst, or have vaccination.  There is a measles outbreak at the moment so YWAM is working with the PNG govt on measles vaccinations.    

Some people are ok with needles,

…others are not.

The optometry team usually sets up the chart outside due to the fact they need a distance of 6 metres from the eye chart.

The people of the Bamu are gentle, helpful, welcoming and warm, and love to laugh.   They look after their children and elderly, and their hospitality is amazing.  I shall try to post more stories soon.  The satellite wifi is pretty slow – but it’s amazing that we even have it!

xx