Mi Recuerdo: My memory of the feria in Nic's site. We opted for the Guatemalan stone-cold face, although at the last second I started to crack. I also have the memory of the band in the neon green suites, the dancers with the strangest costumes yet (Roman soldier with silver eagle on his helmet; country bumpkin; medieval wizard...) and then of course the ferris wheel. Second time in Guate on one, and just as scary as it is fun. But this one was special in that it was foot clutch operated. Literally, a man sitting in a bucket seat with foot pedals and a stick shifter to his right.
These kids kept looking back checking up on us. In the middle of the ride we got in acontest of sorts; who can make the weirdest noise while the ferris wheel is running. (Photo courtesy Nic Miller)
Monday to Wednesday we helped out at a free eye clinic from the states hosted by the local Lion's Club. Thousands of people attended and were shuffled through the maze of cardboard boxes from station to station. Here, a Mayan lady is pointing to the eye chart while a nurse records this student's visual acuity.
Here retinas are checked by optometrists. In the slow times, the doctors showed me how to use the reader and I saw Nic's retina. It looked weird.
The funnest station was the last one, which I worked on the last day: dispensing. Here I fitted the glasses to the patient and talked with each one about how to use their glasses. This was a neat station because I was able to see the reaction when they received their new glasses. We all got a few hugs and kisses that day, and plenty of "God bless you"s. One young Mayan women came through whose prescription was -1200, -1400. A doctor told me this means she can't see any further than about 8 inches in front of her face. When she put on her glasses, she nearly started crying. This guy was another one of our many satisfied customers. (Photo courtesy Nic Miller)
This little guy did not like the feel of his glasses. As soon as I put them on his face he cringed like I had sprayed acid in his eyes. But, after a minute or two he was able to see clearer. (Photo courtesy Nic Miller)
These students didn't get any daily glasses, but the clinic did have a few boxes of Ray Bans they were willing to share. (Photo courtesy Nic Miller)
Because the prescription glasses are donated used glasses, there wasn't always the best match of prescription, or style for that matter. For this guy, the only thing we had for him was a pair of early 90's pink frames. I told him he could take these or we could find a lesser prescription, but that he wouldn't see as well. He took the pink ones. (Photo courtesy Nic Miller)
Along with the young, a fair share of viejos passed through. This woman is 100 years old. The man, 110. We got them set up with some Ray Bans too.
Waiting in the bleachers to be called up for a fitting, a Mayan lady is surrounded by shade-sporting boys.
Just one of the kids.
2 comments:
another great entry. i felt like i was there with you! gosh, i wish i was there with you....
love it, katie. and love you more....
Awesome post, and vision care is such an important and often unmet need! The Mayan woman with the -1400 vision.. my eyes are almost that bad, I can barely read without contacts unless a book is literally touching my nose, so I can imagine what it must have felt like to be able to SEE after living for years in a huge blur!!!
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