In The Midst

The hardest part of the trip was simply getting there; every leg we traveled was harder than the last. We passed every level of settlements from houses just like the ones in Chiang Mai to huts with sheet metal roofs and animals under the stilts. After getting there, my aching bones from the rough drive were a humbling reminder of how far a distance can be without the luxury of paved roads or planes to travel in. We arrived at dusk, record-time for the trip, and were immediately greeted with warm, familiar faces in still, unfamiliar land.

I never quite got my footing in terms of where everything is in KMH. The kitchens, storehouses, offices, and dorms are interspersed everywhere, connected by dirt paths and obscured by enough trees that you only get a vague sense you’re going the right way. Over the too-short time I was there, I saw many things that came as a shock to me: intricate weaving methods with sticks to make beautiful dresses,

a child being born through C-section in the middle of the jungle, a chocolate cake steamed over a fire, massive loads of medical equipment and building supplies that had to be transported only by hand and truck, and too much more to list everything here.

Seeing all the students taught and patients seen, there is no doubt in my mind that KMH and its people are a miracle to their community. What really stood out to me, however, was the overwhelming sense of peace I found there. The best way I can describe it is 1 Kings 19:12, “After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.” With the constant fear of bombing hanging over Kler Mu and the ever-present conflict in Burma, I would expect the people I encountered to be living in a constant state of panic, but that isn’t the culture of KMH. Every night I was inevitably greeted by joyful singing echoing off the hills from the student dorms.

In the morning, walking along the paths to the IPD (In-Patient Department) I experienced plain, simple awe at the massive expanse of untouched creation before me. God’s presence is so tangible at KMH in the sweet souls of its people, the joy in the community, and the gentle whisper of God in the mountains.

I have only good things to say about skill and competency of the wonderful people I encountered, but my truest praise of KMH is that it is a haven for rest and healing in a country that has experienced anything but. On my trip out, I sat in the bed of the truck, my

favorite spot. My last memory of KMH is waving goodbye and spending the brief moments before the sun rose staring at the unfiltered beauty of the stars. My time at KMH was both restful and deeply moving. I’m so thankful that the PA’s and students let me spend a brief time living alongside them and getting to see God work in the jungle. 

~Isabella