Tuesday, September 10, 2013

September 10: "I can read, I can read!"

These are the words of joy that we heard many times over as we fitted eye glasses for the young, the old and the very old in the village of Maai Mahiu, Kenya.

What an incredible day it was. The Softchoice team worked closely alongside the staff at Comfort the Children (CTC) to assess over 230 people, who came early to line up and endure the rain.

Spending time with every person gave us a closer glimpse into the way of life here and it quickly became evident that there are many, many hardships; struggles that we, at home, take for granted. But the people of Maai Mahiu have a wonderful humbleness and grace; their appreciation for our efforts to help ease some of their burden was very, very moving….and we all felt it.

Here there is a strong connection to religion. It provides hope and guidance to a challenging existence. So for them to be able to pick up the Bible and see the words clearly was a miracle; an amazing thing for us to witness. For those who struggled to see into the distance had a new view on the world around them; perhaps giving them a better sense of certainty. Their embrace was warm and their blessings numerous; we are so happy to be doing this.

Thanks to the Buckner Eye Institute for the kind donations of the eye glasses. And thanks to the people of Maai Mahiu for allowing us to help. We feel honored to be here.

Theresa Tomczyk
DWC Softchoice Cares Participant
Kenya, September 2013

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