G’day from Ken

www.ywamships.org.au news update

Medical Ships - Australia

First I-Dent Trip is an Incredible Success!

Morea and Manu received training this year on the ship.

January 2014 edition

Morea and Manu are PNG men on a mission. The dental workers in the Gulf Province were the first to receive an I-Dent chair when the Medical Ship visited their area in the Gulf this year. (An I-Dent chair is a portable solar powered dental chair with basic tools and a drill that all folds into a backpack weighing just 15 kilograms.)

They have received training from volunteer dentists on board over the last couple years and now they have an I-Dent chair. Even after the ship has gone, they have everything they need to continue delivering dental services.

“Our first time out with the new dental chair bringing dental services to their door step was

a big surprise and eye opening to everyone. It was a great relief to the people of the Gulf seeing this new chair operated in front of their home with no cost,” said Morea.

Their first patrol took them to Orokolo village, then to Wabo village, where Manu met a few interesting cases. “There was a man who came with his wife for tooth extraction. As I investigated, he told me that he had been having a toothache for two months,” Manu said. This man became so desperate that he used the urine of his 14-month-old baby to decrease the pain. “He said that the pain reduced after 5 minutes and the relief lasted for about 20 minutes...

Ken Mulligan - Managing Director YWAM Medical Ships - Australia

Happy New Year! As we come into another year, we look back on 2013 and know that it was an extraordinary year. Through ups and downs we have come through triumphant in our goal to bring quality of life to those in PNG, and in return have constantly found quality of life ourselves. It is truely better to give than receive and we have experienced the joy that comes with giving! We hope you experienced the same joy and had a wonderful Christmas!

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For more information: Address: PO Box 1959

Townsville QLD 4810 Australia Phone: +61 7 4771 2123

Fax: +61 7 4772 4414 Email: info@ywamships.org

Web: www.ywamships.org.au

Thanking our Partners:

Happy New Year!

In 2013, a total of 63,548 health, training, and community development outputs were achieved!

...but then the pain came on again,” Manu said. He was one of many who took advantage of the free service that Manu and Morea brought so close to home. In those two villages, they were able to do 54 extractions and bring relief to many people in the villages.

As YWAM MSA looks forward to its fifth year in PNG next year, as well as hoping to acquire a new ship, the hope is for more stories like Morea and Manu!

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From all of us at YWAM Medical Ships - Australia, we hope you had a very Merry Christmas and Happy New

Year!

Thank you for helping us bring life to PNG and Australia. We couldn’t do it without you and we look

forward to 2014!

One of the first patients in the I-Dent chair

8,948 Primary Health Care Patients7,139 Immunisations Given3,775 Dentistry Procedures3,280 Optical Patients108 Ophthalmology Surgeries17,355 Attendees of Health Promotion Sessions

22,442 Preventative Health Resources Distributed108 Rural Health Workers Upskilled150 Basic 2-Stroke Engine Trainees100 Basics of Electricity Trainees44 Generators of Outboard Motors Serviced99 Water and Sanitation Trainees