Stories from the field

A year ago, Pam was soaking up the sun at an all-inclusive resort. The trip was part of a 40^th birthday celebration for one of her friends. Every year, this group of moms would go on vacation with their families and the destination of choice belonged to the birthday girl. This time, Pam’s friend chose luxury and relaxation, but what Pam had in mind would look quite different.

Cranbrook Community Team’s medical clinics were full every day, with patients streaming in with a variety of needs. On one particularly busy morning, an elderly Haitian gentleman with a straw hat walked over to the optician’s station. The nurse made introductions through an interpreter, asking his name and if he could read the first line of printing on his prescription. He said it was blurry—not at all clear—shaking his head in disappointment...

Katie and Steven are friends. She is an 18-year-old from Prince George, while he is 12 and lives in Mirebalais. The team was painting in the blazing sun, when Steven was invited to help. At first glance, it was apparent he was blind in one eye, but Steven’s disability didn’t hold him back. Even though his community would’ve shunned him for his impairment, he had an incredible work ethic. The duo would come to share an indescribable connection.

Meet Hun Hope. She lives in the rural Cambodian province of Stung Treng—right on the bank of the Mekong river—where her husband works as a fisherman. To supplement their meager income, Hun Hope began raising pigs. It was a job that required hard work and offered very little pay—due to the high cost of feed and rate of disease. In fact, she would lose two thirds of every farrow before they even went to market.