Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Seeing with new eyes



Over the last two days I've had the joy of seeing the cataract surgery patients as they came in for a post-op examination with Dra. de Burgos (shown above in her office). I got a multitude of hugs and thanks, and some mangos and avocados, but - as I kept trying to say - the joy was ours, to be part of a group giving back to these strong and beautiful people the gift of their sight. I think of Jesus, making mud with spittle to open the eyes of the blind, and our doctors with their drapes and gloves and sterilized instruments, and it's all healing, restoration.

It was a joy to see Mercedes and Rosa, our peerless organizers again (Mercedes is on the left end of the group photo above, Rosa was still out escorting one last patient) - they had managed to get every last surgery patient from Comasagua on to the bus and down to Dra. de Burgos' office, and they were there with them through all the waiting and examinations.

In Luke, Jesus begins his public ministry by saying:
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me
because he has annointed me
to bring glad tidings to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives
and recovery of sight to the blind,
to let the oppressed go free.
(Luke 4:18)

That's the work of liberation and recovery that Mercedes and Rosa have given their lives to. Those of us fortunate enough to be part of the PazSalud eye surgery brigade were able to share in a bit of their work. What a privilege for us over-privileged ones!

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