Free Eyeglasses

This posting is one in a series of postings found in  bridgetkellyinhaiti.blogspot.com

Sunday, August 4, 2013- a ten year old comes to the medical clinic by herself.  A man with gangrene limped in, hoping we can save his foot.  A man with cancer tells us he is resigned to his fate so we do our best to alleviate his pain.  All of these incidents are heartbreaking and just reaffirm why we are here.  All of these patients are so grateful for our help.  But their gratitude is overshadowed this week because we are reaching a critical mass with another service.  The big draw this week:  we have reading glasses, lots and lots of reading glasses.  We have 350 pair to give away and the word is out.  Old people are walking miles just for a pair of our plastic reading glasses.  People are arriving to the compound on motorcycles.  Whole families are coming to get a pair.

As we fit one man, he begs, “For my wife?”  We have to tell him to bring her in so we can give her the correct magnification.  “Ok, for my brother?” is the next question.  Again, we tell them to bring family members in.  And the next day, five of them show up eager and grateful.

For more stories about my time in Haiti, please of to Bridgetkellyinhaiti.blogspot.com