Ling Jiou Mountain Sends Cross-Border Healthcare Mission to Benefit Schoolchildren Along the Thai-Myanmar Borders
Love shines along the Thai-Myanmar border! Deep in the remote mountains of western Thailand, a cross-border medical mission has brought healing and warmth to local children. Responding to the call of the Ling Jiou Mountain (LJM) Charity Foundation, a team of medical volunteers from Taiwan joined forces with Myanmar Health Support (MHS) in early March. They traveled to the 48-Kilometer Basic Education Learning Center in Phop Phra District, Tak Province, Thailand, to launch a campus healthcare program, safeguarding the well-being of both students and the local community.
Medical Care Reaches Border Schools: 261 Lives Benefited in 3 Days
Guided by the spirit of "Compassion for All" and "Symbiosis of Interdependence" advocated by the founding abbot, Grand Master Hsin Tao, the LJM Charity Foundation has for many years provided spiritual care, relief missions for major calamities, and healthcare services both at home and abroad. This steadfast dedication to medical, hygiene, and health services continues to expand across Southeast Asia.
This year’s cross-border medical mission comprised 12 medical and administrative professionals from Taiwan and 26 partners from MHS. Together, they provided basic health checkups, dental examinations and treatments, chronic disease management, and oral health education for local schoolchildren. A total of 261 individuals received healthcare services, including many community residents who traveled from afar, drawn by the mission’s reputation, to seek medical attention.
The medical volunteers observed with concern that many children in this region lack basic medical resources, with some receiving a comprehensive health check-up for the very first time. Through this mission, the children learned the vital importance of "preventive healthcare."
Dr. Hsu Chin-Chieh, a physician from Taiwan, recalled that the children's resilience left the deepest impression on her. Many of these children live apart from their parents for long periods, yet they rarely cried during health checkups—even during tooth extractions—displaying a heartbreaking courage. When the children presented her with hand-drawn pictures as tokens of gratitude, she was deeply moved. Witnessing such pure and sincere hearts, she felt that she was the one who was truly healed by them.
Guardians of Health: Cultivating Seeds for Oral Hygiene
To ensure that this compassion takes root, the mission featured a specialized "Oral Health Instructor Training" program, aimed at empowering locals to sustain and spread hygiene knowledge. Naw Eh Kheelar Htoo, a trainee from the Karen ethnic group of Myanmar, shared that he had never fully realized the importance of oral health before. Through the training, he learned how dental hygiene is deeply intertwined with overall well-being. He now hopes to bring this vital knowledge back to his community, helping more people understand the necessity of oral care.
Another participant, Mya Asinn, shared her excitement, noting that she learned how to use dental floss and gained a better understanding of the link between decay-causing bacteria and periodontal disease. Sharing her thoughts in public for the first time, she remarked, "It was a truly unique and engaging experience."
Professional Cross-Border Exchange: Forging a Healthier Future
Dr. Myat Hein Htet, a physician with MHS, was deeply impressed by the organizational efficiency and dedication to preventive healthcare demonstrated by the Taiwan team. Meanwhile, Dr. Mikko, a dentist, expressed his hope for continued professional exchanges to elevate the quality of dental care within the region.
The Taiwan medical volunteers engaged in profound exchanges of professional knowledge with local healthcare personnel, deepening international cooperation and fostering collective team learning. Many trainees expressed that this mission served as a transformative experience, promoting both their professional growth and cross-cultural collaboration.
Furthermore, the LJM Charity Foundation donated 60 sets of desks and chairs, lighting systems for four classrooms, and 271 sets of textbooks to the school. CSD, a prominent Taiwan medical company, also contributed a significant batch of medical materials and toothbrushes. To further bolster regional healthcare, dental instruments and medical supplies were donated to the MHS team, enhancing their long-term capacity to provide medical services.
As the mission concluded, MHS presented a heartfelt watercolor portrait of Grand Master Hsin Tao, hand-painted by their team members, to express their profound gratitude to the Ling Jiou Mountain Buddhist Society. This cross-border medical mission, acting as a beacon of warmth, has sown seeds of health and hope deep within the remote mountains, bringing the service to a truly auspicious and perfect close.
Medical Care Reaches Border Schools: 261 Lives Benefited in 3 Days
Guided by the spirit of "Compassion for All" and "Symbiosis of Interdependence" advocated by the founding abbot, Grand Master Hsin Tao, the LJM Charity Foundation has for many years provided spiritual care, relief missions for major calamities, and healthcare services both at home and abroad. This steadfast dedication to medical, hygiene, and health services continues to expand across Southeast Asia.
This year’s cross-border medical mission comprised 12 medical and administrative professionals from Taiwan and 26 partners from MHS. Together, they provided basic health checkups, dental examinations and treatments, chronic disease management, and oral health education for local schoolchildren. A total of 261 individuals received healthcare services, including many community residents who traveled from afar, drawn by the mission’s reputation, to seek medical attention.
The medical volunteers observed with concern that many children in this region lack basic medical resources, with some receiving a comprehensive health check-up for the very first time. Through this mission, the children learned the vital importance of "preventive healthcare."
Dr. Hsu Chin-Chieh, a physician from Taiwan, recalled that the children's resilience left the deepest impression on her. Many of these children live apart from their parents for long periods, yet they rarely cried during health checkups—even during tooth extractions—displaying a heartbreaking courage. When the children presented her with hand-drawn pictures as tokens of gratitude, she was deeply moved. Witnessing such pure and sincere hearts, she felt that she was the one who was truly healed by them.
Guardians of Health: Cultivating Seeds for Oral Hygiene
To ensure that this compassion takes root, the mission featured a specialized "Oral Health Instructor Training" program, aimed at empowering locals to sustain and spread hygiene knowledge. Naw Eh Kheelar Htoo, a trainee from the Karen ethnic group of Myanmar, shared that he had never fully realized the importance of oral health before. Through the training, he learned how dental hygiene is deeply intertwined with overall well-being. He now hopes to bring this vital knowledge back to his community, helping more people understand the necessity of oral care.
Another participant, Mya Asinn, shared her excitement, noting that she learned how to use dental floss and gained a better understanding of the link between decay-causing bacteria and periodontal disease. Sharing her thoughts in public for the first time, she remarked, "It was a truly unique and engaging experience."
Professional Cross-Border Exchange: Forging a Healthier Future
Dr. Myat Hein Htet, a physician with MHS, was deeply impressed by the organizational efficiency and dedication to preventive healthcare demonstrated by the Taiwan team. Meanwhile, Dr. Mikko, a dentist, expressed his hope for continued professional exchanges to elevate the quality of dental care within the region.
The Taiwan medical volunteers engaged in profound exchanges of professional knowledge with local healthcare personnel, deepening international cooperation and fostering collective team learning. Many trainees expressed that this mission served as a transformative experience, promoting both their professional growth and cross-cultural collaboration.
Furthermore, the LJM Charity Foundation donated 60 sets of desks and chairs, lighting systems for four classrooms, and 271 sets of textbooks to the school. CSD, a prominent Taiwan medical company, also contributed a significant batch of medical materials and toothbrushes. To further bolster regional healthcare, dental instruments and medical supplies were donated to the MHS team, enhancing their long-term capacity to provide medical services.
As the mission concluded, MHS presented a heartfelt watercolor portrait of Grand Master Hsin Tao, hand-painted by their team members, to express their profound gratitude to the Ling Jiou Mountain Buddhist Society. This cross-border medical mission, acting as a beacon of warmth, has sown seeds of health and hope deep within the remote mountains, bringing the service to a truly auspicious and perfect close.