This year you have helped us train 59 volunteers to lead our vision clinics in Guatemala. It has been a wonderful growing branch of our healthcare outreach! We have served 21 communities across the country so far!
One very sweet story is of a man we affectionally referred to as “hot dog guy.” During one of our mobile clinics, several of our students noticed the hot dog vendor in the street nearby. As the day unfolded, they stepped over a few times to say HI and get to know him. As they shared our team’s purposes in being there that day, the man revealed that he could not see clearly. Our students invited him to come and get an eye exam, but he told them he wasn’t allowed to leave his cart during work hours.
Not taking no for an answer, they spoke to the boss and asked for permission for him to leave for 5 minutes and they promised a very quick eye exam! Our new friend was given permission and we kept our promise to deliver a very fast evaluation. The results – NEW GLASSES!! Within minutes, he was back at the cart handing out hotdogs AND seeing life with a whole new perspective!
As we often see stories become intertwined, it turns out that our new relationship led to us purchasing 120 hot dogs for a youth retreat a few weeks later directly from “hot dog guy” and his boss!
Thank you for everything that you and Eye Doc in a Box are helping us accomplish!
Each evaluation provides hope. Every lens creates opportunity. All interactions strengthen community connections. We love this division of our healthcare development!