First Reading Glass Clinic

We had our first reading glass clinic today and through it all, we said little prayers for all our family and friends who have sent glasses via people coming into Guatemala. Marci, your gift and your offer to be courier for these glasses are so appreciated. Kathy, Marian, Gerri, Lori, and book group friends, DUP, all of you...thank you. We didn't intend to do a clinic quite so soon, but a nearby stake heard about our project of "A Thousand Pair by Spring" and asked us to come and do a "small" clinic...maybe 10 or 20. This stake is in a poor section of town and the stake building is the most beautiful structure in the vicinity. This small clinic turned out to be huge. People had been in the hall since 8:00 in the morning and were lined up and down the halls waiting for us. We gave away 78 pair of glasses. For a brief, very brief, moment I wanted to wait until we had all 1000 pair before we started giving them out, but almost instantly I felt chastened by the Spirit. The need in the city is as real as the need in the highlands and my axis shifted in a moment. To see these older people suddenly SEE the words in the Book of Mormon was wonderful. The hugs were cherished. These are people who would not be able to buy such a luxury as a pair of reading glasses, and here they were. We nearly depleted our stock, but we have 80 or so left with 400 coming in the next few weeks. I think we will have another hundred or so in December. We had many older people walk away with "new eyes", a few who could not be helped due to other conditions, several children with serious problems for which Kim couldn't be of help because of lack of equipment, and many 50 years old and up. We had a lady come in this morning and she was probably about 65 years old. She picked up a pair of glasses. Later in the morning we went to see the Seminary Graduation Robes that were being made for the graduation next Sunday. There, in the corner, was the lady...sitting at the sewing machine putting these robes together, wearing these glasses and also wearing a huge smile because it was so easy to see the needle. I am so grateful for the generosity of others. If only everyone knew how much this gift meant to these people.