Jinda Janthong is a poor young rice farmer from a remote hill tribe village of northern Thailand. He had lost all hope. Jinda became mentally disturbed, violent to his wife and suicidal. He tried to commit suicide many times due to the stress of trying to support his wife, young child and extended family.

On the 25th of June 2006, Jinda made final plans to take his life, and went to visit his parents for the last time. During this trip, he happened to meet Jakkree, a trained counselor and First Aid Officer. Jakkree spent the night counseling Jinda through his problems and suicidal plan. Jinda eventually accepted Jakkree’s advice and changed his mind to end his own life.

Jakkree Thongpromsaeng had just completed a one week training seminar in May 2006, part of Operation Blessing’s Medicine Center Project. The Medicine Center Project identifies potential First Aid Officers who live in villages removed from a local hospital, and provides them with training in Health Care, Disease and Treatment, CPR, First Aid, and Leadership and Counseling.

After the Medicine Center training, each village is presented with a fully equipped First Aid Kit. The participants receive a detailed training manual and a certificate on completion of the course. The Medicine Centre Project also provides follow-up for previously trained First Aid Officers, as well as ongoing professional development and support.

During the training, Jakkree learned how to counsel suicidal cases from Paris Espana, the Manager of Operation Blessing Foundation Thai’s Counseling Center. Jakkree said he used what he had learned during the training when counseling Jinda, and it was pivotal in changing Jinda’s mind to end his own life.

Jakkree said, “I would like to thank Operation Blessing for training me how to counsel suicidal cases. Without this knowledge, I don’t know if I would have been able to help Jinda. The Medicine Centre training was very helpful. The training manual was also very good. Thank you very much Operation Blessing.”

Jinda is no longer suicidal since he was helped through Jakkree’s counseling and Operation Blessing’s Medicine Centre Project. He is now at peace in his mind and much happier in his family.

Since the commencement of the Medicine Centre Project in 2003, Operation Blessing, in cooperation with local hospitals, has trained eighty-five First Aid Officers. Fifty fully equipped First Aid Kits have been freely provided to the participants from fifty villages across northern Thailand.