Let’s talk about “game changers” or “life changers.” Perhaps you can think of an innovation or shift in your life that had a major, positive impact on how you experience the world. During a recent trip to the Ixcán, I saw firsthand how a pair of glasses can truly be a life changer.
Ixcán is known for its intense heat, and our week of patient visits in March was no exception. On our final day, 63-year-old Magdalena waited in line for four hours to have her eyes examined. She wanted better vision so desperately that she was willing to endure the 96-degree weather.
When we finally examined her, we discovered that she needed glasses for both distance and near vision. I searched among our stock for appropriate bifocals, but without success, and decided to see if reading glasses alone would make a difference.
It certainly did!
The moment Magdalena put the readers on, her face lit up. She reached in her bag, pulled out a Bible, and began reading out loud.
Through her tears of joy, she proclaimed her thanks for the ability to see again.
I was humbled and moved by the huge difference that these simple glasses had on her outlook and her life. I was reminded of the very reason why I started doing this work so many years ago.
According to the World Health Organization, “restoring a person’s sight with cataract surgery or a pair of spectacles are among the most cost–effective of all health-care interventions to implement.”
Thanks to your generous support, Enfoque Ixcán restores and improves people’s quality of life.
In Magdalena’s case, that means reading her beloved book.
~For a student, it means seeing the board properly.
~For a health promoter, it means deciphering prescriptions correctly.
~For a farmer, it means tending the fields more safely.
~For a community leader, it means participating in events more effectively.
~For a doting grandparent, it means watching the antics and abilities of the next generation.
What would such a life changer mean for you? If you lost your sight and had it restored, what would immediately bring joy to your heart and tears to your eyes?
While you ponder that question, I invite you to give to Enfoque Ixcán. Together we can ensure that many more people like Magdalena experience the life-changing joy of renewed sight.