Fungal disease, intestinal worms, possible malaria, high fever…these are just a few of the problems our team were able to help out with these past couple of weeks as we continued with our 2008 CHECK (Child Health & Education for Caregivers & Kids) programme. This week we saw the 300 children at Thoo Mweh Kee School - a migrant school close to the Thai-Burma border which also takes care of approximately 170 children who have no other family in Thailand. Many of the hundreds of thousands of migrant and refugee children in Thailand have been sent over the border by their parents, who believe that it is the only chance for a good education and future for their children. photo: CHECK medic undertaking examination. 
Thoo Mweh Kee hostel is funded and supported by Partners, and part of my job is to ensure the children are well taken care of. Part of that care is an annual check-up undertaken by volunteer nurses and medics. God has blessed us with a professional and committed group of people this year – from the UK, Australia and the US – and together we will be travelling up and down the border to our hostels dispensing medicine and making hospital referrals where needed. photo: CHECK medic treating child with a skin infection.
One such referral was a young man, Saw Htoo Say*, from a hostel in Mae La Camp. He came over from Burma two years ago and has had a recurring boil just behind his left ear for about six years. Throughout this time he has been given antibiotics, which helped for a short time, but the infection never really went away. Two weeks ago I visited him with Wes Robinson, a Partners volunteer nurse from Indiana, and Saw Htoo Say was once again in quite acute pain. 
Wes diagnosed possible Mastoiditis – a severe bone infection, which if left untreated can spread to the brain. We decided enough was enough and within a few minutes, with a little help from some friends and by the grace of God, we managed to get him a day's leave from the camp to visit the hospital in Mae Sot. After a few hours wait he was able to see the ear, nose and throat specialist who confirmed it was indeed Mastoiditis and prescribed the much needed medicine and booked a follow-up appointment in a few weeks. photo: Ministry programme undertaken by CHECK staff
As a Christian I believe in a God who heals miraculously. And I believe one
way that he does that is through the gifts and skills of trained medics willing to give freely of their time and knowledge to help others. I believe what happened for Saw Htoo Say (and for the many hundred other children who have received medicine from us these past few weeks) was nothing short of a miracle. Praise God. photo: CHECK medics undertaking examinations.
*name changed.