Whew

I am tired. We did our last eye brigade today with this group. I am not big on total numbers of people seen...and as much as it is tempting to put the number here, the more important aspect is how we did it, why we did it, and for whom and to whom. Christ was glorified...through what was done, and in the fact that despite our dwendling glasses supply, people who needed to see, saw (and I presume continue seeing.)

Then we got back to the clinic and had to leave the group to do month ending banking (along with everyone else in line) and while there at the bank line (inside the grocery store) we saw Oscar, who got back in last night...delayed in coming back because of Nadir's illness (their son). Hopefully I will get to meet with Oscar tomorrow to go over all the mountain of stuff for him to do, for me to do...and for us to do together.

How will I meet with Oscar with the group here? The clinic is closed due to a holiday tomorrow (worker's day) and so Valerie can actually go with the group to the hospital and do the milk project, which will be a welcome change for her and for me, which in addition to talking to Oscar will be home with the kids and running some errands (to the few businesses open tomorrow.)

Here are some more pictures for you (incorrectly placed on the page even after ten attempts to correct them...thanks to blogspot for creating such a userfriendly system on the picture posting):

In general if any of these happen during your presence at an eye brigade, you know you could potentially have problems:

1. You never want to hear "interesting!"

2. You never want your doctors talking amongst themselves

3. If they are talking amongst themselves, you do not want them reading anything...especially "The Wills Eye Manual."

4. If more than two doctors look at you...start praying.

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Here is Valerie doing her thing. She does everything from being the last person to take those peeks into eyes that are hard for others to make sense of, translate, explain about surgery options here (and when they are not needed even when other doctors here say they are, for reasons other than good care of their patients) and referrals for the especially tough cases (+4.00 - 8.00 jumps to mind) to the clinic in Tegucigalpa. She is constantly busy these days, and God continues to bless her with the stamina to keep going.

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Here we have Cecilia...so proud about her new missing tooth. She quickly got over the fact that the tooth fairy did not get her anything...and then Valerie magically produced some gift from said fairy. I of course opined about the existance of such a woman....to no avail. I did however ask Soren if he believed in the tooth fairy, and I got the very young four year old male answer "Nooooo! That is for girls!" Nothing like having the right answer for the wrong reasons.

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Cecilia fancies herself a photographer. She would love to have her own camera. As tempting as such an idea is, I do not see it happening any time soon, but she does get a hold of mine sometimes for some interesting snap shots. Here is Soren looking off camera while posing with his buddy Scout ready for school this morning. I will spare you the pictures she took of the Hannah Montana jigsaw puzzle. Try to contain your disappointment.