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Dr Kelvin Khng, Dentist on Singapore- Cambodia Friendship Mission on the 1st-7th May 2009 in Kampong Cham, Cambodia.This is my first time in Cambodia and it was really an eye opener. Being a rookie in the field of mission trips with only experience of viewing clips on YouTube on operations smile, I was ever excited when I received news that I was selected to be the dentist on board the mission. A chance of a lifetime and a journey that is unforgettable I must say having been there.  Over the days , I was able to see and appreciate the living conditions of the locals. Though having a communication barrier as I do not speak Khmer, I am happy that I could attend to the dental needs of some of the kids. Being able to witness and assist one of the world’s best in the cleft lip and palate surgery was a gift. Though the procedure might be simple for most surgeons, the impact and change that is brought to the child is something that is priceless. As we see them open their eyes and their parents hugging them at the recovery area in tears, I am proud that I was able to be part of this miracle.
 All work and no play is not the way this mission works. Apart from the work that happens in the day, we are able to enjoy the scenic view that the Mekong river brings at night. Amazing how life revolves around the river. We were also treated to the beautiful voices of our fellow local and foreign delegates as we sang the night away. With delegates of the mission coming from all around the world, we were able to learn and share from each other. Though we help the locals, they truly helped us more as we realize what we can do in changing lives forever.
Feelings of excitement and trepidation filled me as I embarked on my first Operation Smile Volunteer Mission during the Philippines-Singapore Friendship Mission in Davao. First missions are always filled with uncertainty. This was the first time I would be working hand in hand with a foreign team of medical volunteers in a foreign land and the first time I would be involved in cleft lip and palate surgery at such a scale. Despite my initial anxiety, I was able to easily slip into my role as the Team Paediatrician. The warm reception by the Filipino medical team, the clear and concise daily briefings and clockwork organization of the whole event helped us quickly become part of a unified team who worked together to put smiles on the faces of children born with congenital cleft lips and palates.
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Dr Arif Tyebally, Pediatrician on the Davao, 
I had the privilege to work alongside volunteers who had been on more than 25 Op Smile missions and their passion was infectious. Despite a hectic schedule with many patients on the operating list, all the volunteers remained bright and cheery as they tirelessly worked to prepare the patients for surgery, perform the surgery and take care of the patients post-operatively. Their love for the job and for the children was obvious and I soon saw why many of the volunteers kept coming back year after year to volunteer with Op Smile. Nothing can measure up to the feeling of joy, contentment and satisfaction that we get from knowing that we are part of a team responsible for correcting the facial deformities of children. I can never forget the smiles on the childrens’ faces and the joy exhibited by their parents seeing their children having a new chance in life. 
On my way home from the mission I couldn’t help but think of the 155 happy little children whose lives had been transformed by the Team during the mission and my only thought then was when I could come back and volunteer again to make a difference to the lives of the thousands of other children whom we had yet to reach out to.