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On February 5, 2010, the Kwai River Christian Hospital (KRCH) in western Thailand celebrated its 50th anniversary of ministry to the least (Matthew 25:40). Originally intended to be an outreach to the Telakahn people, American Baptists partnered with the Disciples of Christ (Christian Church) to bring education and medical care to this remote region of Thailand. Today there are 45 baptized believers among the Telakahn.
The anniversary began with a two hour long worship service at Sangkla Christian Church. The service was attended by representatives of the Church of Christ in Thailand, members of the hospital board, former directors of the hospital, hospital staff, and former patients. It was filled with singing, sermons, speeches and awards and featured choirs from the local Christian school, a refugee camp and the church.
Dr. Phil McDaniel, a retired American Baptist missionary, was director of the hospital for 23 years. He attended the celebration and said, “It was heart-warming to see the enthusiasm and skill with which the staff created banners, brochures, picture displays, flower arrangements, and an audiovisual program on the history of the KRCH.”
One testimony in particular stood out to Dr. McDaniel. It was from their first convert to Christianity, a young man named Narin. He had tuberculosis of the spine and was in a total body cast for weeks, giving Narin plenty of time to hear and respond to the Gospel. As an adult, Narin became a missionary himself to Cambodia, where he founded a church.
The celebration Friday evening included a beautiful Chinese-style banquet on the front lawn of the hospital. Even with 120 tables, there was not enough room for all the family and friends of KRCH who wished to attend. The program that night included Thai classical dancers and Mon folk dancers, all in colorful tribal costumes.
The founder of KRCH in 1960, Dr. Doug Corpron, and Dr. John Freeman, who started up the public health program in 1975, were both able to attend the celebrations. The original 10 bed hospital has more than doubled in size, with 25 beds and it has developed into a research center and haven for humanity.
Located in Kanchanaburi Province, KRCH serves the mountainous rural area along Thailand’s border with Myanmar. The hospital provides care for a population of local Thai, Karen and Mon people as well as a great number of displaced persons, refugees from Burma (Myanmar) and residents of a large refugee camp nearby. Patients travel to the hospital on foot, by bicycle, on motorcycle, pick-up truck taxi, and occasionally by private vehicle (a fairly new phenomenon).
Over the years missionary and volunteer personnel have come from the USA, Australia, the Philippines, the UK, Sweden, Norway, Japan, Singapore, and Thailand. These have included doctors, nurses, pharmacists, dentists, physical therapists, plumbers, bookkeepers, and electricians who have generously contributed their talents and made a substantial contribution to the outreach of the hospital.
White Cross funds from American Baptist churches have helped to keep the cost to run the hospital down, and the savings are passed on to the patients. Gifts given through White Cross have provided uniforms, bed sheets, curtains, cotton, gauze, surgical drapes, gowns, gloves and other materials vital to providing basic medical care.
Unexpected donations have enabled scholarships, building projects, the purchase of equipment and charity programs. Dr. McDaniel has said that these gifts have provided the staff of KRCH with “gum lung jai” or “strength for the soul” in Thai.
The future of the KRCH is uncertain, and in fact, the hospital is nearing a crisis situation. Dr. Sakda, the hospital’s director left at the beginning of March for a new position. The hospital is required to have two doctors who are medically certified by the Thai government. Sophitta, the hospital manager, is scrambling to line up doctors with Thai medical licenses, as well as additional volunteers to help handle the workload. There is hope, as Roy and Gill Myers from the USA (both with Thai medical licenses) have stepped forward to cover the hospital through the end of March. Please pray for a long-term qualified replacement so that this vital ministry will continue for another 50 years.
The major ministries at KRCH are: patient care, public health, education, research, community development, Bible teaching, evangelism and supplementary feeding program for malnourished children.
Some of KRCH projects include:
o The "Under Fives" program to fight child malnourishment and preventable diseases
o The tuberculosis treatment program, with directly observed treatment for outpatients and inpatients
o HIV/AIDS education and support for affected families
o Scholarship funds for nursing students
o Hygiene education
o Cooperation with the “Safe House” for physically and mentally ill refugees from Burma
o Tropical disease research done in cooperation with the Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences
o Installation of gravity-fed village water supply systems for 6 villages
The anniversary began with a two hour long worship service at Sangkla Christian Church. The service was attended by representatives of the Church of Christ in Thailand, members of the hospital board, former directors of the hospital, hospital staff, and former patients. It was filled with singing, sermons, speeches and awards and featured choirs from the local Christian school, a refugee camp and the church.
Dr. Phil McDaniel, a retired American Baptist missionary, was director of the hospital for 23 years. He attended the celebration and said, “It was heart-warming to see the enthusiasm and skill with which the staff created banners, brochures, picture displays, flower arrangements, and an audiovisual program on the history of the KRCH.”
One testimony in particular stood out to Dr. McDaniel. It was from their first convert to Christianity, a young man named Narin. He had tuberculosis of the spine and was in a total body cast for weeks, giving Narin plenty of time to hear and respond to the Gospel. As an adult, Narin became a missionary himself to Cambodia, where he founded a church.
The celebration Friday evening included a beautiful Chinese-style banquet on the front lawn of the hospital. Even with 120 tables, there was not enough room for all the family and friends of KRCH who wished to attend. The program that night included Thai classical dancers and Mon folk dancers, all in colorful tribal costumes.
The founder of KRCH in 1960, Dr. Doug Corpron, and Dr. John Freeman, who started up the public health program in 1975, were both able to attend the celebrations. The original 10 bed hospital has more than doubled in size, with 25 beds and it has developed into a research center and haven for humanity.
Located in Kanchanaburi Province, KRCH serves the mountainous rural area along Thailand’s border with Myanmar. The hospital provides care for a population of local Thai, Karen and Mon people as well as a great number of displaced persons, refugees from Burma (Myanmar) and residents of a large refugee camp nearby. Patients travel to the hospital on foot, by bicycle, on motorcycle, pick-up truck taxi, and occasionally by private vehicle (a fairly new phenomenon).
Over the years missionary and volunteer personnel have come from the USA, Australia, the Philippines, the UK, Sweden, Norway, Japan, Singapore, and Thailand. These have included doctors, nurses, pharmacists, dentists, physical therapists, plumbers, bookkeepers, and electricians who have generously contributed their talents and made a substantial contribution to the outreach of the hospital.
White Cross funds from American Baptist churches have helped to keep the cost to run the hospital down, and the savings are passed on to the patients. Gifts given through White Cross have provided uniforms, bed sheets, curtains, cotton, gauze, surgical drapes, gowns, gloves and other materials vital to providing basic medical care.
Unexpected donations have enabled scholarships, building projects, the purchase of equipment and charity programs. Dr. McDaniel has said that these gifts have provided the staff of KRCH with “gum lung jai” or “strength for the soul” in Thai.
The future of the KRCH is uncertain, and in fact, the hospital is nearing a crisis situation. Dr. Sakda, the hospital’s director left at the beginning of March for a new position. The hospital is required to have two doctors who are medically certified by the Thai government. Sophitta, the hospital manager, is scrambling to line up doctors with Thai medical licenses, as well as additional volunteers to help handle the workload. There is hope, as Roy and Gill Myers from the USA (both with Thai medical licenses) have stepped forward to cover the hospital through the end of March. Please pray for a long-term qualified replacement so that this vital ministry will continue for another 50 years.
The major ministries at KRCH are: patient care, public health, education, research, community development, Bible teaching, evangelism and supplementary feeding program for malnourished children.
Some of KRCH projects include:
o The "Under Fives" program to fight child malnourishment and preventable diseases
o The tuberculosis treatment program, with directly observed treatment for outpatients and inpatients
o HIV/AIDS education and support for affected families
o Scholarship funds for nursing students
o Hygiene education
o Cooperation with the “Safe House” for physically and mentally ill refugees from Burma
o Tropical disease research done in cooperation with the Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences
o Installation of gravity-fed village water supply systems for 6 villages