(Re)birthing center

What is rebirth?

To the spiritual minded, it can mean many things. However, I'm speaking about physical rebirth... change, transformation - to be made new.

Let me introduce you to the Setbo Health Center.

Don't mind the rubble... just step over it.

This is a maternity center for a local village (relatively) close to the church. Yes, it's open, and yes, this is where the villagers go to have their children.

Welcoming, yeah? That's Mr. Vouen over there. He's awesome.

When I first visited this center, I thought to myself 'this is cool! I can't wait to wander around and get photos to write a story!'. That thought ended shortly thereafter, as it was immediately followed by a thought of 'wha...?!?'. Why?

Ceilings don't normally come in 'U' shapes.

Well, to give you some background, there are 2 places in this world that creep me out like no other. The first is an asylum. You know, the places people used to house the ah... mentally unhinged? Yeah, uber-creepy. The second? Hospitals. Abandoned, empty hospitals.

Why does this creep me out? No idea, but the birthing center fit the bill. It had the look of a building long, long left to the elements. Nature was creeping back in, forcefully in some areas.

Outdoor recoveries are all the rage.

Needless to say, for the first time since coming here, I just wanted to get back in the truck.

Can you count all 7 spiders? I could! :)

Have you made the connection yet? It's creepy, dirty, collapsing... and active! Like I said, people use this center for births and recoveries. That's scarier than the condition of the building. 'Hey,' you may be asking, 'how can anyone see this and not think something's wrong?'. That's a great question, and you're onto something. The village leaders did come out and see the premises. They did see a problem.

What did they decide to do about it?

Outside the birthing center.

...nothing! Instead, the village got together and collected money to revitalize the big spirit house in front of the clinic. Yes, you heard me right - they raised money, and spent it on the dead, while their children are being born in a place straight out of a bad horror flick. Remember the post I did on what people believe? Here's another good example of not valuing life. Sad.

Enter IHSI and the Mill team.

The photos of 'after' are from IHSI's blog. http://www.ihsionline.org/blog/

Yes, these are the guys and gals I went to the zoo with. One of their projects while they were in Cambodia was to help restore this building and make it somewhere that new mothers would find welcoming and safe.

Before

After

Between the workers IHSI hired and the labor from the team, they turned the clinic inside out. There are new ceilings; the walls are painted and clean; the outside was restored to new condition; and the rooms are sterile, with custom artwork and medical charts hanging all around.

I haven't had a chance to head back this way and see the difference for myself, but you can see the evidence of the love and hard work that went into restoring the birthing center. Now, when new mothers or soon-to-be-moms go here, they don't have to worry or get creeped out...

...or attacked by monkeys. What? Ok, there weren't any monkeys here, but it wouldn't have surprised me if that was because they'd all been attacked by the massive amounts of arachnids.

The team, proud but tired.

At the end of the day, the team went home tired and worn out, but feeling good about the legacy they left behind.

Where else can you put in a day's work and touch the hearts of an entire village?

Just to review, we have gorgeous beaches, deserted islands, excellent food and friendly people, insane drivers, and an abundance of opportunity to go to sleep at night feeling good about yourself.

Why aren't you here yet?