Past volunteer Where There Is No Doctor Organization

Volunteer: Kelsey
Date: May 2^nd-7^th, 2009

I feel very fortunate to have met Dr. David. David. Dr. David has been a pleasure to work with this past week. I admire his dedication to the hill tribe people for there would be many more fatalities if he was not here. Dr. David has lot of knowledge and experience to share. Our group specifically worked on building toilets in two separate tribes. It was hard, rewarding work and I highly recommend choosing to volunteer with WTIND.

Kim

The past week working with Dr. David has been far beyond what I imagined it to be, and it’s hard to capture it all in a short paragraph. I highly recommend it to anyone who would like to experience something new, fulfilling and inspiring. He is open and willing to share his knowledge and experience-taking the time to hear his stories about his life and what he does is definitely worth it. While we worked hard, he also encouraged us to play with the kids and build relationships, and I think that was one of the most important parts. Getting to know the people, their way of life, and forming a bond with them is what made it unforgettable, and what I will bring back home with me when I leave.

David

Where there is No Doctor is an experience that extended far beyond I could ever have imagined. Building toilets for the marginalized hill tribe people of the Burma-Thailand border was not only hard and sweaty work but also rewarding, educational, and enlightening. The communities that we worked within are tight-knit and loving and the people are some of the most generous and giving people I have ever met. Interacting with them, building relationships with them, and getting to know them have given me memories and knowledge that will remain with me well beyond this week.

Chad G.

Working with Dr. David is an experience I’ll never forget. When we were going to the Hill Tribe Villages I did not know what to expect. As we pulled in the people instantly welcomed us. I expect and have heard he does a lot of great work with them. As I could tell by how they welcomed us into there homes and hearts. Without speaking there language which I thought was going to be a problem we communicated very well. They were some of the nicest and giving people I have ever met. They did not have much at all but whatever they have I was welcome to. Since I believe gratitude is an action. I especially enjoyed there laughs. Now as for Dr. David it will be hard for me to put it into words so please bear with me. Just being there one day I wanted to spend my life helping him with his work.

Stephanie
Working with Dr. David and the Burmese hill tribe people has been an incredibly rewarding experience, one that has broadened my originally narrow and fairly sheltered perspective on life. This has been my first trip out of North America, and I decided Thailand would be a good place to start based on some word-of-mouth reviews of the country. Dr. David’s organization, Where There Is No Doctor (WTIND), does so much good for the displaced Burmese villagers, and it has been an absolute honor to learn from his life experiences and listen to what he has to say about his past life as a human rights activist in Burma.

Ijlal Syed:

My experience with WTIND started with a 10 km trek through the wonderful hills of northern Thailand which was breathtaking even before I got to the villages. Traversing through the countryside and taking in the simplicity with which these villagers spend their lives is truly amazing and Dr. David’s selfless work over the past five years is a testament to the humanitarian spirit. In the week that I have spent in the villages with Dr. David has been truly exceptional and a true eye opener. Dr. David is a one man organization which strives to not only provide free medical care but he goes beyond the call of duty to ensure that the people have a stable water supply, sustainable sanitation and a fair source of income.

Nadia Maleki-Raei
Before arriving in the Northern Hill Tribe Villages I was extremely nervous about my week long stay. My nervousness did not last long. The village itself is picturesque, the air so much easier to breathe in and the people are more than welcoming. Despite the occasional language barrier, everyone in the villages go out of their way to accommodate you and make you feel as if their home is yours. The children in the village only added to my nerves being calmed. These children are something else, their work ethic, compassion and ability to enjoy the simplest things, it’s truly amazing. The children I’ve met from the villages are enough to make me come back again. Leaving the village was hard to do, ironic because I was weary about coming.

Mikhil Rajdev
After spending only one week with Dr. Dave and the Northen Hill Tribe Villages, I feel that I have learned a tremendous amount about the people I have been helping as well as myself. The opportunity that Dr. Dave gives you through working with his organization is one that cannot be replicated and is one that will always be remembered. Although some of the tasks can be daunting at times, they truly push your limits and change you for the better. From the treks in between villages, to building the bathrooms in the villages, to helping at the clinics, each task pushes you both mentally and physically, for an experience that is truly unique. Staying at the villages, it is visible the difference that Dr. Dave and his volunteers are making. The hospitality that the tribes demonstrate is more than accommodating which makes the stay much easier and better than anticipated. Overall, I have had a great time helping Dr. Dave in the Northern Hill Tribes, and would encourage all to take part in this opportunity.

Melissa Agnew
If there is one thing I can say it is you must come here and work with Dr.David and ‘Where there is No Doctor’. No other volunteer experience will challenge and teach you more about yourself, justice, faith or community. You will work with your hands, learn from the peoples and not only will you help them, they will help you. You will really see all your donated money in action, nothing goes to waste. This man is really making a difference in people’s lives and I hope and pray that all of us have one ounce of the same dedication towards humanity that he does. The people are welcoming; the food is great the experience will change you forever.

Joelle Ferreira
‘ 'Where There is No Doctor’ is a fantastic organization. Working with Dr. Dave has been a challenging but extremely rewarding experience. His compassion and selflessness towards others is inspiring. After being to two different villages my eyes have been open to many new perspectives. The people are very welcoming and friendly. Both families that I lived with during this week treated me as if I was one of their own. This is an experience which definitely left a meaningful impact on me.

Yolanta Lis
My experience with the WTIND organization has been absolutely life-changing. Not only was I able to contribute in helping build toilets for a village in the hill tribes, but I came out of this experience with so much more. Our team was provided with the opportunity to reside with individual families, where we were able to hear their personal stories and build close relationships. After a week in the hill tribes, I have left with a deeper perspective into the lives of these individuals and believe that their stories need to be heard by everybody. Thank you Dr. David for your selfless work and determination to make a difference. You are an inspiration and I have really enjoyed working with you!

Faiza Khokhar
Working with Dr. David and WTIND in the northern hill tribe villages has been a really meaningful experience. From the very first day, our interaction with the hill tribe people showed us how welcoming and loving these people are. At times, the tasks of labour and trekking were difficult, but it allowed us to truly understand how these people live their lives and the hardship they face. This experience was so much more than what I had anticipated. It has changed my perspective on volunteering and has shown me the importance of building strong relationships with others. I was able to see firsthand that our efforts and donations have a direct impact on these people. Dr. David’s determination, selflessness, and sincerity towards helping these people has made an impact on how I want to.

Aaron Lau
Volunteering with Dr. David and his organization “Where There Is No Doctor” has been an opportunity to witness and experience with the hill tribes people their struggles, and their endeavors to maintain life apart from much of civilization. As well, it has been a wonderful opportunity to participate and take-in the passion, and determination of Dr. David who has devoted himself to improve the quality of the lives of these people through building proper sanitation systems, and participating in his health clinics. Thank you Dr. David for your honesty, your wisdom, and your care for the hill tribes people that extends beyond race and religion. You are indeed an inspiration for all of us!

Sabrina Bedell
This is probably the most down-to-earth and legit volunteer program you could participate in. Dr. David is unwaveringly devoted to the Burmese refugees that make up the hill tribes, passionate in all he does, and an incredibly intelligent human being. I have learned a lot just from talking to Dr. David, and even more from watching and working with him. The hill tribe people are incredibly hard working and warm-hearted while the kids have an amazing passion to learn. I will miss all the people I have made friendships with and hope that I will have a chance to meet them again. Thank you Dr. David (and Noah!) for your hospitality.

The hill tribe villagers have been friendly and very hospitable; they shared their homes, cooked food, and built toilets with me and the other volunteers I am traveling with. At first I thought toilets did not seem like a significant construction job, but sanitation is an absolute necessity to avoid deadly diseases and the village people were so grateful to have our help. Building relationships with the children has been especially gratifying, and I am so happy to have helped make their lives a little bit cleaner. The amount of work Dr. David has done for these villages as a doctor and a construction worker is astounding and his selflessness is inspirational. I had some thoughts about what to expect from this trip, but nothing could prepare me for the beauty of this country, the hard work it takes to build a toilet from scratch, and the joy of learning from and socializing with people despite a language barrier. All I can say is that anyone looking to volunteer with WTIND and Dr. David should be prepared for a life-changing experience, and come with an open mind and open heart because the people you will be staying with are going to accept you into their homes with that same attitude. I will definitely be telling everyone I know about this experience, and I hope that with this new outlook on life I can continue to build on the foundation of knowledge that I have gained from working with Dr. David for future international volunteer work.

The villagers on the other side of the equation are just as friendly, they welcomed us into their homes and allowed us to live and eat with them as if they had known us forever. Once you have come here and experienced that sense of familial belonging and community, you can not help but be willing to assist these resilient people in their day to day activities. Dr. David is a very hands-on person, under his instruction we have built toilets, laid down sewage and water pipelines, given out multivitamin prescriptions, and had thought provoking debates regarding the validity of the HIV virus. Through WTIND we have come to appreciate the magnitude of the effect war can have on people, how they strive to survive and how that struggle for survival finally allows them to live their lives peacefully.

      I volunteered with Dr. David and thought you might like a first hand account of what it's like. Before I arrived, I had obviously read about the work he's been doing with his organization (Where There Is No Doctor) and figured it was something I wanted to be a part of (after all I signed up to volunteer for three weeks), but it wasn't until I actually met him and saw firsthand what he does that I was fully sold on what I was getting into. Unfortunately, as you probably know there are many organizations out there who, unlike Dr. David, use funds generated from volunteers and others for shall we say "less than honorable" purposes.
          So, I just wanted to set your mind at ease if you are in fact a bit of a skeptic like me, that this certainly isn't the case here. As Dr. David spends most of the time out in the field helping the hill tribe people not soliciting funds, he currently depends on the generosity of regular individuals to purchase the medication and other supplies he requires for his work. Rest assured, the money is being put to good use. Recognizing that their needs go beyond the mere medical and that there is no one else helping them with these basic needs, Dr. David's work includes such things as building toilets, sending kids to school and other social work on top of his medical work (which if you do the math, adds up to a whole lot of work). The limiting factor is simply a lack of funds, definitely not a desire to help or good, sustainable ideas as to how to go about doing this. So all you people wanting to help a good cause.. look no further... this is it.

          Donations don't get lost in system here, they have recognizable effects on many people's lives who could benefit greatly (in a life changing sort of way)from a little compassion. As far as the volunteer experience itself goes... It's fantastic! The hill tribe people are absolutely lovely and make you feel welcome in their homes and communities. It is a truly unique and wonderful experience. If you're not excited yet, you should be. You're going to have a great time. Dr. David is a very good natured and incredibly interesting man and I think you would be hard pressed not to be able to get along with him and be inspired by what he does.

Good luck with all your fundraising efforts and enjoy your time amongst the hill tribe people.