Songsogon Magandai in Kota Marudu

At 7.10am we left the Mercy's Office heading for Songsogon Magandai located in the district of Kota Marudu. On the way we had to pick the dental doctors and dental equipments at Tuaran Hospital.

Six four-wheels drive headed for Kota Belud, passed the beautiful paddy fields of Kota Belud at 8.40am.

We stopped over, along the way while waiting for the others we bought the “jagung panggang” could not missed this. At 9.40am we reached Kota Marudu and we had our breakfast. We also had to buy some vegetables at the market. We bought KFC packs for lunch then we left Kota Marudu at 12.00 noon.

We passed by Paitan at 2.00pm. We reached the junction of the 1st gate to Songsogon Magandai at 2.18 pm.

my shot

The 1st gate to Songsogon Magandai at 2.18 pm.

We ate our lunch pack before we continued our trip at 2.45 pm going through the oil palm plantation's road. At 3.40pm we reached the 2^nd Gate called the Ladang Kawana. All drivers had to sign before entering the road ahead. At 3.47pm we reached the 3^rd Gate. The gate keeper was looking cheerful to see us.

So after the last gate, we were heading to a very rough road, one lane only. Now everybody could felt the disco movement. I had to hold on to the handle above the window. We were moved left and right every now and then. I could see the sky getting darker above us. The road was getting bad going up and down hill. The heavy rain started to fall while we were going down the hill. I could see the muddy water flowing along the road and that made the road slippery. Our driver Mike had to control the steering and I was praying while holding on to the handle as we almost hit the edge of the hill few times. Mike was trying hard to control the steering. All my life I had never been so scared, I closed my eyes and asked the Lord to protect us. Praise the Lord, we made it to the Village of Songsogon Magandai at 5.15 pm. We had to leave our transport on the roadside as it could not cross the bridge.

On top of the hill located The Chapel at Songsogon Magandai. It has a wonderful scenery.

                           We spent 2 nights at the Chapel, where the Medical Clinic was held.

As soon as we arrived the Generator was set up. I was assigned to take care of the foods for this mission. The water came from the gravity. I used the fire woods to cook rice and its gave a good smell before dinner we had the briefing by Adrian our team leader. There were 28 person of us, amongst them were 7 doctors, 2 volunteers from UMW, from Angkatan Hebat they were the main sponsor. 1 volunteer from Kuala Lumpur.

The medical clinic started early as the communities came earlier. Lastin was doing the registration helped by Mike and Maryam. The doctors and dentists were busy. While I was busy preparing foods for everybody. There were over 200 people who came for the medical screening. Some of them had to travel for five hours. They had to start walking from 5 am from their home. I could see the communities here are very calm. They were so patience. Everybody was consulted and each family was given the hygienic’s kit. That made them feel happy. The medical screening finished earlier.

( The future generation. of Songsogon Magandai )

                                                                      

Part of the village in Kg Songsogon the house roof are made from "tarap" leaves .

Posing on our way home....

After packing, they went up to the hill to visit the patient that cannot walk and the others went for a swim in the river.

I had to do the cooking for the evening, we had chicken wings, chicken soup and curry ayam was prepared by Lastin. These special menu's for this evening were a reward to the hard work done by everybody.

After dinner we were entertained by the village communities, beating of gongs and local dance. Their performance was for showing their gratitude to “Mercy Malaysia” for coming to them for the Medical Screening. We joined them to do their “sumazau' Everyone had fun that night.

19/07/2009 – at 7.00 am we left Songsogon Magandai. Journey home felt nearer and faster. We reached Paitan and had our late breakfast at one of the cafe along the road. We were served the mee goreng then we continued our Journey home. We reached the Mercy Office at 4.00 pm.

It was an extremely wonderful and touching experience and looking forward to share more mission .

I hope to return to Songsogon Magandai again and would bring some used cloths to the people there. They are simply very poor.

Picture taken by Adrian Lok

Picture taken by Jonathan

Picture taken by Jonathan

posted by - by Mary 21 /07/2009

Mission to Pulau Mantanani

On the 15 - 17 May 2009 Mercy Malaysia Sabah Chapter conduct mobile clinics to Pulau Mantanani in Kota Belud.
The group were :
Volunteered by 3 doctors, 2 dentists, 2 nurses and 4 non medical volunteers.

Ready for the boat ride ...everybody seems excited....wow...

Journey started at Kuala Abai Jetty. The boat took about 45 minutes to arrive the island. I am very much fear of the blue water because I don't know how to swim. But luckily the sea was calm and we reached the Island safely.

We were most welcome by the Kampung Chief. They also helped us to carry the boxes of medicine to the Primary School SK Pulau Mantanani where we have to spend our nights.

We had to do some more packing of the medicine. In the evening we walked along the beach. It surprising to see the beach ... with rubbish. Cows grazing along the beach and cats too. They were looking for foods from the rubbish that were thrown along the beach. Shit from the cows and human can be seen along the beach. Seeing that.....I don't dare to have a swim. We were advised that if we want to have a swim we had to walk a little further from the village and over there is clean. But unfortunately we didn't have the chance to do that because of the bad weather while we were here. We were not able to watch the sunset either.

These are the cows.

Oh yes....our foods and drinks are taken care by the community here but Mercy had to supply the foods.

Saturday 16/05/2009

Its still early morning, people start coming for the medical screen. I am doing the registration assisted by Adrian, Jubi and another staff from this School. Thanks to him. We registered 467 patients. The screening run smoothly. Everybody was examined. Some went for the dental. We also distributed toothbrush,and combs. Glasses for those with sight problem. The day was put off early as we expected.

Jeff and Dr. Lai...they can do it good....the pakiring

In the evening the bad weather came again with thunder, lightning and heavy rain. The rains only stopped about 9.00 pm. After the tiring day.....we were entertained by the community with their pakiring dance.
We were also requested to dance with them. I had to learn how to do this pakiring ...wow...! Dr. Lai & and Jeff can do that good. We also did the " Poco-Poco ".

Ready to leave Pulau Mantanani all the beautiful mercy angels....hehehe.

Our handsome guys.....with 2 body guard from the Police Force, Kota Belud.

Sunday 17/05/2009

WE left Pulau Mantanani's jetty at about 7.30 am. Thank you to the Head Master of S.K Mantanani, his teachers and the village people, the Security guard whom had been carrying our foods from his house to the school with the wheel barrow. The hospitality given to us will not be forgotten . They were all nice and good people.

Luckily the sea was calm again and we reached Kuala Abai 's jetty safely. We also managed to go to "Tamu" Kota Belud. We were able to see the Tadau Kaamatan celebration and able to see the first round catwalk by the "unduk ngadau' with their traditional costume. Then we proceed our destination to Mercy Office at Luyang Perdana.

My mission to Kampung Gana Kota Marudu.

Visit to Kg Gana, which is a resettlement village in Kota Marudu.
The dates are as follows:-
01 May to 03May (Thursday - Saturday)

That us....

It was quite a tough destination for us. But with the helped of the 4 wheels drive we managed to reach Kg Gana. We were also helped by the dentist doctor and her group from Kota Marudu Hospital.
I could say, Kampung Gana is located in the isolated place. The houses there looks bad. Some are abandon. It was a waste to build the house without someone living there. The soil are not fertile. That's the reason the communities living in Kg Gana are not into farming. There were no development in that area.

The crowds waiting for their turns...

Anyway, the medical screening had a good response. Everybody was attended except that the medicine we brought was not enough.
Our foods was taken care by the people there, but unfortunately was charged too expensive though we brought our own foods and they just had to cook for us....but anyway that was a lesson for us.

I liked the little house where we ate. We had a good sleep at the Kindergarten. It was quite cold at night and especially early morning. I am not sure if Mercy would come back to this place...maybe... :p

MY 3RD MERCY MISSION TO INARAD, KINABATANGAN

We met up at Q.E.H parking at 7.00AM. Adrain was our team leader. 2 female doctors were with us. We travel by road via Tambunan- Keningau road. We reached Keningau town and had our breakfast. We stop at Sook Keningau to have our lunch. From Sook Keningau we passed by Nabawan then went through the logging road to Inarad Kinabatangan. The road was bad.

We reached Inarad at 4.30 pm. The Kampung Chief and and the people welcome us.

The medicine was carried to the Kampung Chief's long house where the medical clinic was held there. Talk on general hygiene by volunteer Quin from Kuala Lumpur and Medical care was contributed to each members of the family that was presence that night. After the talk everybody started to leave for home suddenly the veranda of the long house collapsed.

Luckily I was quick for a sec....or else I would had fell too. Thanks God! nobody hurt. We spent our night in one of the empty house. I could hear dogs howling that night. In this village there was no power supply. Drinking water is from rain, river water is use for washing and bathing.

The next morning we woke up early and we started the clinic at 8.00 AM. I couldn't remember anymore how many patients we had. We finished in the evening and started packing the left over medications. Anyway it was a long day for us and we were so tired.

Before night we had a walked to the river. The river was not deep, lots of small and big stones. We saw people taking their bath and washing their cloths. That night the Kampung Chief invited us to his brother's house. There were having a feast in that long house too. I saw few jugs with rice wine and tapioca wine. They were beating gongs and we were asked to do the sumazau ( Murut style ) ohh.... I liked the way they waved their hands. I felt enjoy.

We left Kg. Inarad early morning after our breakfast. We say good bye to the Kampung Chief and thanks them for their hospitality. The foods was good. I hope to visit Inarad again in the next mission.

My Mission to Paitan 23-25 June, 2007

Mercy Boleh !!! we made it for Paitan Dr. Carol was our team leader.
To reach this place was an opportunity to render service to those who are really in need.

Look at the smile of all those Mercy Mission Members with Sr. Dorothy.

The villagers were waiting for their turn to get a check up.

This building is very simple but at least they have a place to gather for this Mercy Mission to do the work.

Kampung Delamas, Paitanis about 4 hours from Kota Kinabalu by road and another 45 minutes by boat to its jetty. No electricity supply there. Some houses have Solar Source. Drinking water is from rain water collected during raining, river water is use for washing and bathing. Villagers there are Orang Sungai about 300 -350 people, doing own farming and some working with Oil Plant Plantation.

Nearest health clinic is about 40 minutes by boat at Kg. Simpagan. Medical needs - deworming for children, treatment for scabies, Pap smear, skin disease & health talks.From Kg Delamas, the nearby was Kg Tagawi, Kg.Lubang Buaya, Kg Simpangan and Kg Bukit Tuhan. Total population of these 5 villages is estimated at 2,000.We were welcome by Sr.Dorothy, we spent the nights at the Sr. house.

Thanks to all the nice people. Many thanks to the person who had been taking care of our foods, drinks and the hospitality..I think if there is another medical camp in Paitan in the near future, I would like to volunteer. It’s really a nice place.

Oh yes.... I would not forget this..... That first night I saw a snake crawling in the house near the wall. That make me scream I was going to the toilet and I saw that black snake. The screaming scared the snake away that he vanished very fast.Oh...my...!! Luckily I didn't step that snake or else ...I don't know what would had happened to me, because I am really scared with that little creature.

Service to these villagers generated JOY

We continue to reach out to villages that are in need. There are many unfortunate villagers that are still waiting for help especially "Medical Needs".

Villagers too, need some good facilities to be used such as this building.

My First mission is to Tongod 20-24 April 2007

The Mercy Mission members, we are on our way home at Kg. Sinaron.
We stay united to bring support to the villagers.














With the big smile, here we see the future generation of Tongod.
See how happy are these children, may they continue to stay healthy and gain proper education for their future.






Medical Mission to 9 Villages in Tongod namely, the villages are Kampung Minusoh, Napagang, Mananam, Maliau , Namkon, Liupampang, Tampasak, Lanung and Kampung Saguon.

The nearest town is Telupid, It took us about five to six hours to reach our destination because of the road condition was very bad. It was like the porridge. The road was going up and down hill. If you had a pain on your shoulder or back you don't need someone to massage you.....because it will be done automatically.....when you were moved left and right every minute. We reached the village almost sunset. We had to sleep at the Village Clinic new and very big but unfortunately no water supply so we had to take our bath in the river. The water was so cold. Luckily we brought our sarung so we could float in the river. :))

The communities, from the nearby village turned up for the medical screening. Old, young and babies came. Everybody was given the medication they needed.
It ended up in the evening. It was a tiring day for everyone. We went to the river for our bath then later we had our dinner at the Chief house. We had to go to bed earlier that night.

Oh yes! Mercy baby was given birth that night. We called her the Mercy baby because she was attended by our 2 Mercy Nurse.

Hope to come back here for the next mission.