Vollertsen Update

Dr. Norbert Vollertsen writes to report yesteday’s events as part of the Korean Medical Association medical relief team in Aceh, Indonesia:

Having completed our tour, we (the first KEMAT) left Banda-Aceh and arrived at Hanlim(?) military airport near Jakarta at around 6 PM today on an Indonesian military plane, fatigued but thankful. The return trip from Banda Aceh was equally dramatic as the trip to it.

We were scheduled to leave at 8 AM, but when we actually took off it was well past noon. Even that wouldn’t have been possible had there not been for the the help of UPLIFT, a US group. Just had a wishful thought for the Korean government to send its own military planes like some other countries.

We met the second team in Jakarta upon our arrival and had a good discussion about the existing problems. Dr. Young-Woo Byon, vice president of KMA, who is leading the second KEMAT complimeted us for the inroad we built into this tough environment. After being debriefed by us, they will be staying up all their first night in Indonesia with further conferences among themselves. It looks like the relief goods and medical supplies that have been generously donated to second KEMAT in Korea once again exceed the allowance they can take with themselves and nearly one third of them must be shipped to Banda Aceh separately.

The second KEMAT will be divided into two units for Matai refugee camp and Ketabang camp respectively. There will be a slight improvement with accomodation so they can rest a little better after a long day with patients.

Meanwhile Dr. Yong-Jin Kwon was still treating refugees with three medical students in Banda Aceh today. The rest of seventeen members of first KEMAT including Dr. Vollertsen will be on a KE 628 due to land at Incheon airport at 6 AM, Thursday morning.

FYI the list of 21 first KEMAT members are:

Dr. Yong-Jin Kwon
Mr. Jung-Hwan Kim, med student
Mr. Yong-Joon Kim, med student
Mr. Kwang-Sun Park, med student

Dr. Hae-Ryong Kim
Dr. Kyu-Chul Cho
Dr. Ju-Young Roh
Dr. Jae-Kwang Kim
Dr. Dong-Kyun Park
Dr. Norbert Vollertsen

Mr. Hyo-Kwang Ahn, ER specialist
Ms. Hu-Ja Lim, RN
Ms. Chung-Sook Kim, RN
Ms. Seung-Jae Lee, RN
Ms. Ji-Eun Nam, RN

Ms. Bo-Kyong Kang, admin staff of KMA
Ms. Eun-Ah Kim, reporter

Mr. Uh-Jin Lee, med student
Mr. Won-Ik Choi, med student
Mr. Hyun-Woo Shin, med student
Mr. Choong-Ki Kim, med student

Quietly, and without any reasonable expectation of recognition or reward, twenty-one doctors, nurses, and students are have uplifed the maturity of their entire nation by showing that it has the strength and humanity to care for others. They have made remarkable progess without the use of firebombs, candles, or banners. We can only hope that this charitable spirit will grow, and that the South Koreans will extend it to their brothers in the North.