El Salvador Day 8 - 2016

As we start our last day I find myself deep in thought.  What if... I had a sick child but no money to see a doctor? What if I had severe pain but no way to make it better?  What if I did not know how or where I could earn a living?  What if I could not see well and my job depended on me seeing? These are just a few questions that the poor ask themselves every day, in El Salvador and throughout the world. And if we don't ask ourselves these questions the poor will become invisible to us.

You can't come on a mission here and not be moved to do more.  We are needed and appreciated greatly here. 

Today is a light half day of clinic followed by some much deserved down time. We are bone tired from our non-stop schedule. 

I make a point today to try to slow down and care for the people, absorbing the culture. We take some time to give shoes to the small children and meet the people.  I find out that the medical student who was with us on Wednesday has taken a beautiful picture that really captures what we are doing here.

We find an angel and give her some angel wings.

I take a moment to snap a picture of a family, and also of a food stand just across the street from our clinic.

It's  slow-paced day and I am grateful for this gift. We wrap up the clinic and head to the beach. We all take some rest and many of us swim in the Pacific Ocean. 

We are treated to a gorgeous sunset, like a thank you note from God.

We began this mission with gratitude for this opportunity and that is where we will finish.  Imagine making a difference in the lives of 2400 people.  We did.  And what also matters is the "how we did it" with great love.  My slice of this mission is small (1007 people came to us in the eyeglass department).  I say small because there are many more stories, many good, true and beautiful things that happened this week, just because a bunch of people said yes to God's call.  I am overwhelmingly grateful to have had this chance.  I need to give a very special thank you to my partner in the glasses department all week.  I know she was certainly sent by God to be with me.  We minister to each other on mission, and that was why God made sure we would have s chance to do that.  I'm glad our paths crossed and pray they will again.

Every day I pray for El Salvador and I ask that you join me.  Amen.

El Salvador Day 7 - 2016

God Provides.

One of the greatest challenges that a missionary faces is not letting anything get in the the way of our mission to love people exactly as they are, and help them.  Like any job, we can be distracted by the few that are not grateful, instead of focusing on those who are very grateful.  Just one person who expresses heartfelt gratitude could sustain me very easily for  long time. We serve here with no expectations of gratitude at all, but it certainly feels good when people do tell us they appreciate us.

To maintain a positive mindset I pray constantly believing that God will provide everything. As I grow weary I pray for strength to endure through this last very hot full day of clinic.  As we run low on certain eyeglass strengths, God provides the right eyes.  We counsel everyone on eye care wishing they will take our advice.

We don't know much about the struggles that the people face here, but I am sure they are considerable.  I can see it in their eyes, literally.  The is a disease of the eye here  called pterygia which is likely caused by UV light exposure and dust, something in abundant supply here in El Salvador.  We give sunglasses to people to help reduce the incidence and growth of pterygia.  The glasses we have this year are predominantly women's styles.  I begin to believe that this must be a fortunate accident.  As I go through our long line checking for cataracts and pterygia, about 75% of the cases are with women, many who are street vendors, selling pupusas.  God always provides on mission.

Here is the view of our eyeglass room before our first patient.

I help a deaf mute to get glasses, and smile that we were able through sign language and her mom to communicate.  God provides. 

We are blessed with extraordinary help today.  Here is our morning team.

God provides 

We have a God provides moment when some donated distance glasses are able to help a young girl see perfectly when our adjustable glasses won't help.

Throughout the day I stop to give out shoes, which are greatly appreciated.  This appreciation consoles me I feel like I am too tired to continue.  God provides.

And at the end of our day we are so surprised to learn we have helped a new mission record amount of people: 284. Our 5 day total is 994.  God provides wow.

Here is our afternoon rock star team!

Dear Lord why do I ever doubt you?  You provide what we need before we ask for it. You know us so well.  Lord we believe, help our unbelief. Help us to know that no matter what, your love never fails. Amen

El Salvador Day 6 - 2016

  

The work we do here is difficult.   I suppose anyone could just give out medical care. But we've been given a higher goal because we serve with compassion.  The mass readings tell us of Christ's advice about entering through the narrow gate.  This is really what we are doing here on mission by hitting a higher standard.  We bring what we have to a higher level.  

With the narrow gate mindset, we focus on our work, giving our best.  We have great help today.  We get in a rhythm and we manage to keep the line fairly short.  We are in the flow.  It's like running, I am mentally somewhere else; on mission, I am spiritually somewhere else. 

Because just giving glasses won't do, we counsel our clients on how to listen to their bodies and take care of their eyes.  We educate with love.

We have a new adjustable glasses technology we use for distance glasses, it's a higher level of care, a narrow gate.  Here is one of our med school students with a happy client.

Rarely we cannot help someone. Usually it is because of untreated cataracts.   But instead of just telling them we can't help, we give hugs and kind words of encouragement.

When the precious children come to us, we have toys for them.

And because we need to treat the whole person it is entirely appropriate to have a laugh, just to raise the spirits of the people.

After finishing a 220 glasses day, we are astonished by our productivity.

Today's clinic has a special treat, ice cream.  After a long day we have some ice cream before the hour drive back to our living space.  Here are our awesome med school students who have made S huge difference today.

Our host families are beyond gracious and kind.  They take their game to a high level.  We have a huge surprise when we arrive home.  They have an amazing homemade dinner ready for us that includes lasagna, fresh green bean salad, carrot-pineapple-raisin salad, and jicama with ground pumpkin seeds and salt.  It was sooooo good.  And because they take their game to the highest level we are treated to entertainment from a children's band.  They melt our hearts with their songs.  We are treated like royalty!

There are many examples of people who are giving their best here on mission.  I am in awe to be part of this exceptional team.  Dear Lord, thank you so very much for the gift of this exceptional team.  They are all "narrow gate people" and they inspire me incredibly .  Amen

El Salvador Day 5 - 2016

The Faith of a Mustard Seed!

As I rise for the day at 5 am my body says: really?  But soon, the thought of the cause gives me energy.  I take a picture of the sunrise and soak in the beauty of El Salvador. 

We gather for mass because we need spiritual food and supernatural help to take on the challenges of the day.  (There were certainly challenges ahead.)

Our clinic is located across the street from a town square.  As we arrive I snap a quick picture.

As we walk into our clinic, the crowds, some who have already been waiting for hours, applause again. As I carry boxes to our station I make eye contact as much as possible and smile as much as I can.  Most of the time I get a smile returned, but sometimes not.  I pray that something will make them all smile today.  I am planting mustard seeds. 

A redheaded lady comes to glasses (very rare here) and I show her my redheads like a proud dad and husband.

An elderly man comes in with an advanced eye infection, and my heart goes out to him.  We try to help him see out of his good eye.  At first nothing seems to help, but then I find our last pair of 4.0 readers that a little bird in Houston helped me find.  Success!  And then I notice his hat and we talk about home.

Today we have excellent help from a local fifth year medical student who wants to be an  ophthalmologist.  She is successful helping a young man with distance glasses. 

I do my best to encourage her to one day return to the mission when she is practicing ophthalmology.  I'm planting a mustard seed and hoping it will grow in her.

We are a bit short handed today and the line for glasses grows very long. We try to have the faith of a mustard seed and believe we will some how finish.  We do our best to focus only on the one person who is before us.

We look up and it is time for a quick lunch.  Towards the end of the day, with the line growing longer still, I realize that I need help with glasses and with distribution of shoes.  Once again our team comes through.

There is a man who we cannot help and I am a bit overwhelmed.  He is nearly blind.  It's a tough situation as he sits there with hope. The family had great hopes of a cure, perhaps by surgery.  I tell him that I am not able to help, and that I can only offer prayer. I give him a hug and emotion wells up in me.  As I try to regain my composure, I feel the prayers of everyone who has been praying for me. His family also consoles him.  Later when I am more composed, I tell our future eye doctor she needs to graduate quickly and come on mission, again planting a mustard seed.

We helped 192 people see better, have less irritated eyes, and learn how to care for their eyes. We offered inspiration and encouragement to the best of our ability.  Our three day total is 488, and that is the consolation that will keep us going.

Lord when the path is difficult, help us to have the faith of a mustard seed.  Amen 

El Salvador Day 4 - 2016

If you get confused, just remember that above all other laws is the law of love!  

We have a long drive to reach our clinic location in the town of Apopa.  We are behind schedule, but I enjoy taking in the scenery.  I notice a young boy of about 9 or 10 years old, completely alone in a busy intersection selling beans.  I wonder what his story is, and why he is not in school on this Monday. 

We arrive to the clinic to applause from the people, and we are filled with gratitude.

We setup for the day, and quickly focus on the needs of the people.  A man randomly approaches me and speaks rapid Spanish way beyond my comprehension.  When I ask for help from an interpreter he tells me that he is going with me to the U.S.  I think he is serious, but perhaps not.  I take his picture so I will recognize him at the airport.

I am able to help a man with distance glasses and he is overjoyed.

At times I can literally sense gratitude when i help someone.

We get very busy and some people we serve are very particular about their frame choices.  Later I laugh, "an inside joke with myself" about why this tries my patience: I hear my wife saying how particular I am!!  God has such a sense of humor!  Some things may try our patience. They do require a calm and peace beyond ourselves.  We cannot lose sight of our goal of serving others as Christ would.  Patience.  We have a huge chance to influence by our actions always, but especially now when those who we serve are watching carefully how we behave. Our kindness and demeanor are under a microscope. In the hurry of our very hot day, I need to slow down, breathe, remember the law of love, and also recall that everyone I meet is just being themselves.  For those who know me well: I need to just take my own advice.

One of the greatest joys here is the children!  We setup to give shoes to the kids and they are so excited.

Late in the day we use our phones for light as we finish the last few glasses. 

I am heartened when I most need it.  My coworkers inspire me when  I'm tired.  And we all do this throughout the day, whether it is sharing candy or doing small favors.  And when we exhale as we get on the bus I see an awesome example of how we take care of one another.

Dear Lord we can't do your work alone or with the wrong mindset. Lord we need your love and everyone on mission to be successful.  Hold us together with your love as we do your work.  Free us from any distractions that remove us from the law of love so we can totally give ourselves to this amazing cause.

El Salvador Day 3 - 2016

The only difference is opportunity.  We all have different opportunities given to us.  And by the fact that you are reading this, you've obviously been blessed incredibly.  What if you had to survive on $4 a week?  What would your life be like?  Today we found out just a bit of what it is like.

Today we setup our clinic in a new area that we've not been to before but I believe we are likely to return to because the need was so great.  It was a beautiful day in so many ways!

Around our clinic at the John Paul II Center, there are estimated to be about 17,000 families in need.  We learn that there are very visible improvements in the lives of those who are served by the Center. Improvements in school, and especially separation from gangs are but two of the many benefits.

We setup our glasses.  Today I am so very blessed to have an ophthalmologist and my angel interpreter with me.  I immediately realize how much I can learn from the ophthalmologist.  I learn how to be more efficient and accurate, something that will help me all week.  But what I also learn is how much the work we do is needed.  Simply put, few are caring for the eyes of the poor in El Salvador.

When you ask someone to try a pair of glasses on and when they can see, after suffering with poor vision, the smiles come!  I am addicted to seeing these smiles.  It is so good to be in the smile creation business.  Everyone here shares this business with me and our smile-o-meter is off the charts today.  Here is one example.

When some young girls come by with their mom, we help create some more smiles.

And this is something we seem to be getting good at.

When we break for lunch, the children from the center treat us to some dancing and a beautiful thank you card for all of us.  (Those of you from Houston will better understand when I tell you that we are at the Nehemiah Center" of El Salvador today.). The JP II Center serves a nearly identical need for at risk youth.

As I walk back from our lunch area I take a few pictures of our surroundings.

This is a typical home in the area.

And I am so happy to see a bouncy house for the celebration of this special day.  I am so glad that the children have something so fun even if it is just for one day.  More smiles too.

In the shortened day we are able to serve 107 people!  Obviously a result of the expert help I have today.

Lord, I am so thankful for the opportunity that you have provided to create smiles today.  I believe that you too smile when we love like you and give the gift of smiles.  Help me to remember that I can be your missionary just by making someone smile. Amen.

El Salvador Day 2 -2016

 As we begin our day, our reflection is on ourselves first: we must be prepared before we can give.  We attend a commissioning mass with beautiful music provided by a local group that is so heartwarming.  As we listen, we are struck by the beauty of the Salvadorian people.

After a lunch provided by our host families, who are so generous with their time and love, we travel to a children's hospital for bedside visits and prayers.  We bring care packages of food for the families, and toys for the children, but the main purpose is about expressing God's love to all.

Our first bedside visit is to a boy of about 8 and his father. Last year when visiting I did not want to know any details about the children's illness.  We are on an oncology floor. 

We are successful in making the boy laugh with our funny face contest.  After leaving the boy, I learn that his cancer has a 95% remission rate after one course of treatment in the U.S.  He has been treated 3 times already.  It makes me realize how blessed we are and I feel a bit guilty about not seeing our blessings for what they are.

One baby is severely jaundiced and needs a liver transplant, something that will cost about $130K, an impossible amount.  Still we pray for a miracle with all we have.

One dad after praying with us stood up and gave me a huge hug.  It was so awesome!  

We meet a beautiful young girl who has low platelets.  We offer her some angel wings we have brought with us.  She sits up in her bed quickly with all smiles and puts them on.  We take a group picture.  Later upon examination of the picture we get a beautiful wink.  She was given a halo in the picture! 

As we depart, our hearts are heavy as we process the appearance of hopelessness of some of the situations we saw today.

How I wish I could make them all well!  How I wish I could calm all the parents.  How I wish my love was strong enough to make everything better.   But your love is strong enough Lord, and we are begging you to flood them with your grace.  That will be enough.

You are their hope, you are my hope.  Come lord come. 

As we reflect together Fr John reminds us that miracles do happen; not every day though.  What does happen every day is a miracle in the hearts of those who surround a loved one.

El Salvador Day 1 - 2016

In the book of Titus Paul mentions that the gifts of friendship and love are offered every day of the year.  This is offered not because of righteous deeds but because of His mercy.  How perfect.  In this year of mercy, we are God's mercy!

Our first stop is an orphanage.  I steel my emotions so I can make it through.  I can't entertain the circumstances that brought them here, but too soon we hear: abandonment, abuse, and neglect.  As we adore the precious children our hearts melt and compassion wells up in us.  At one point I see a young girl who reminds me of my dear spouse at a young age.  The lump in my throat comes quickly and only through prayers for this girl am I able to regain my composure.  But for the grace of God, it could be any of us here.  We try to imagine what thoughts went through a parent's mind as they parted with their children.  We realize the hard truth, the children may be better off here.  That could be God's mercy.

Today is "children's day at the orphanage.  I would think this "celebration" would be every day!  We gather outside for a local charity group called the Rebeldes.  They perform motorcycle tricks and then setup for animal balloons and face painting.  We join in the festivities by giving the excited children gifts of toys, candy, and hair bows.  Joy, pure joy is on their faces.

I notice one boy alone with his few gifts sitting alone. We pray that whatever he's been through will soon be healed.

We head to our temporary home at the Hospital Divina Providencia.  

• I can't thank you enough dear Lord for the gift of this day.  I never will be able.  And so our mission begins - with gratitude, overwhelming gratitude.  Not for things.  Just for the time and opportunity to serve.  To believe for a while that I'm a messenger, sent to spread unconditional love to all I meet on this journey.