Dooley sent Rhine and Davis on a vacation to Hong Kong in July 1959. He did this not only because the men needed a break from the demanding work, but also to show his Laotian workers that they could get along without Rhine and Davis, and eventually even without Dooley. The students saw that they could run sick call, help in surgery, and care for the patients in the hospital without the help of Rhine and Davis. This was an important part of Dooley's original plan to start hospitals and then turn them over to the host government and workers. After the ten-day vacation, Rhine went to Bangkok and gave two talks at the medical school, and Davis went to Cambodia to work a few days with Dr. Manny Voulgaropoulos at the MEDICO hospital in Kratie.

         Dooley sent Rhine a list of things to bring back to Muong Sing on his return from vacation.