El Salvador Day 7 - 2015

Love.  We all share a desire to know we are loved.  When you break it down, all we are doing here is showing love.  Our willingness to show love is why the people here are grateful.  Their gratitude is so very heartfelt, and seeing this gets us choked up. Often.  Think about this: when is the last time a complete stranger said thank you in a very heartfelt way and hugged you?  I'm certain that most of us have had some very emotionally moving moments during the week, and today the emotional moments continued.

As we take our bus ride to the clinic, I think about all the things we take for granted back home. Not having spiders the size of a tennis ball, air conditioning, medical care, not waiting (100x longer), and  the list goes on. But don't get the wrong idea.  Yes we are spoiled, but there is plenty to love here.  One example: cookies here are amazing.  I think cookies would be the main reason I could not stay too long.  They are just too good.

Just to give some flavor of what medical care usually costs here at the church clinic, here is a sign:

This is not a copay, it is the price.  But still for most this is difficult to afford.

We get quite busy with our shoes and baby clothing area today and help some families.  I notice a family with red headed children, which is very rare, and so cute.

We are so short of glasses, but amazingly God provides.  The eyes he sends to us today are very aligned with what we have.  We give out many sunglasses which are very important in preventing eye problems such as pterygia, which is common here even in the young.

We are told the parish clinic has a box of glasses we can look at to see if they will help.

There is not much we can use here.

The best part of our day comes when we start getting young people who need help with distance vision. We are able to use the adjustable technology glasses on several teenagers. Afterward I turn to my partner the optometrist, and we get so emotionally overwhelmed.  We have made a difference in the lives of several teenagers, and the two young women below and we are very touched by this fact.

I am so happy to be part of this!  

As we close up shop we glow with a stong sense of accomplishment.  We helped 194 people see better today and 74 families were given shoes.  It feels so good to make a difference.

I celebrate the day with an ice cream cone (cost of .25).

Dear Lord thanks for allowing us to have this opportunity.  We are so thankful that you've shown us how to love today.  Please inspire us to always help you do your work and to see you in the people we serve.