Author: Charles Dittmeier

Cryotherapy

Over the past few years, as I have aged I have developed spots or lesions on the skin that the dermatologist said could develop into skin cancer. He recommended removing them with liquid nitrogen (cryotherapy). Here are some photos from my last visit to the dermatologist which also give some glimpses of Cambodian medical culture.

I usually try to get to the doctor early in the morning. This doctor starts at 7:30 AM. Because of Covid, he moved his waiting area out on to the sidewalk, and even though Covid is much less a concern now, his patients still wait on the street.
This is inside the real waiting room. Notice the heavy, luxury-wood chairs. They are a sign in every business that you “have arrived,” that you are successful. They certainly don’t contribute anything to comfort. I bet your doctor doesn’t have fine chairs like these! The picture on the wall is the dermatologist with his wife (also a doctor) with the prime minister.
This is the rest of the waiting room. Notice all the wooden chairs and statues and other objects.
This is a cryotherapy gun that shoots liquid nitrogen on to the spot or mark to be removed. The temperature of the nitrogen in the gun is -320ºF!

CACD: 1st quarterly meeting

The Catholic Alliance for Charity and Development (CACD) is the social outreach arm of the Catholic Church of Phnom Penh. Maryknoll participates because of our projects with deafness, mental illness, and education. Today the topic was the role of technology and digitalization in serving the poor, and an amazing presentation was given by Mr. Sok Sopheakmonkol who demonstrated what artificial intelligence can do to assist NGOs like ours.
A second presentation about software and technology in monitoring, evaluation, accountability, and learning in NGOs was given by Mr. Art Kirby, the director of Catholic Relief Services in Cambodia.

It was quite and interesting and informative afternoon!

International Lay Missioners–March

A group of lay missioners from various countries tries to get together in Phnom Penh almost every month for socializing and talking shop and just being together in a place away from home.

The group that met today had missioners from Italy, the Philippines, Korea, Haiti, Kenya, Honduras, Cambodia, and the United States.
The format and content of the gatherings varies. Today Jesuit Fr. Ingun Kang spoke about his work with interreligious dialogue, especially with Buddhism.
Fr. Ingun is on a Vatican commission promoting interreligious dialogue around the world.
After his presentation the group continued talking and questioning with some snacks.