A Wonderful Surprise!

Tuesday morning, as I got up at 6am to start working on my project completion report for my Children with Disabilities Project, I found a message in my inbox from Dr. Lule - the dentist we worked with for the first camp we held.

"Dear All,

The long awaited glasses have arrived at my clinic and are awaiting collection.

Regards,

Dr. Ntwatwa Lule

These are glasses that we were expecting in July from Deseret International.  They would have been nice to have a couple weeks earlier.  But we have been able to put them to good use so far!

We called Dr. Lule to see how many glasses there were.  He told us 8 boxes - all different sizes - however most of them were around 4ft x 1ft x 1ft.

Before I continue.  I have a small  big surprise also to tell.  I am HOME!  SURPRISE!! :)
After my oldest brother told me that he was engaged and that his wedding was August 11th, I made the decision to come home early to surprise him.  It was a tough decision.  I knew I would be missing a lot, leaving two weeks earlier than I had originally planned.  However, how often does my oldest brother who I have looked up to for many many years get married?  I knew I needed to go.  Sooo, I went!  I decided to make it a surprise for my brother. :)

But I will tell you that story in another post. Right now, I need to get back to our glasses! :)

With the information of the glasses, McCall traveled Wednesday with Jace and I to Kampala to pick up the glasses on our way to the airport.  We only opened two boxes up and guesstimated the amount of all the boxes.  HOLY COW were those boxes big!  A lot bigger than I was expecting!

McCall took Jace and I to the airport, and then took the boxes home and counted them...Guess how many there were. :)

THREE THOUSAND and TWENTY GLASSES!!!!!!!!

3,020!!

First thing they did was set up multiple of outreaches where we would be able to distribute the glasses.  It has been going great as far as I've heard!!! Friday night Kristen, Chelsea, Whitney, Troy, and Stewart headed out to Nakasongala, near Misindi, and all day Saturday was the outreach.  It was an all out outreach - eye, dental, general health, pharmacy - everything!

By the end of the day on Saturday, a total of 520 patients had been registered and seen, 45 pairs of glasses had been given out by the Eye team for 65 patients.  191 Dental patients were seen and they had 212 teeth extracted.  The other 264 patients were general medical.  At the close of the outreach on Sunday, a total of 1141 patients had been seen.

They headed home Sunday morning, so they were not there for the rest of the outreach on Sunday.

I have been told that they have hopefully three more outreaches planned - one in Najjembe - which was Monday, Kitigoma - which was today, and hopefully Seya tomorrow! I shall update you soon on how those go once I hear from Kristen! :)

Yay for glasses!

Even though we only have 2 weeks left in Uganda, we are spending every second of our time trying our best to help these people.  No time will be wasted.  We have glasses, and we will put them to their intended use!

It was a great surprise, and we are grateful to have them!  I'm sure the people that we have helped are even more grateful that we have received this donation. :)

Quote of the Day! :)

"Our brightest blazes of gladness are commonly kindled by unexpected sparks." - Samuel Johnson

Small and Simple Things

Sorry sorry sorry! I have been lacking in my posts, and I am very sorry.
So much has happened this past week.  I have been so busy.  But I know it is not acceptable still..I will do better!
Many amazing things have happened this week.  What a blessing it has been to be able to witness all these miracles taking place among these beautiful people who deserve so much.
Monday I was able to do the presentations to the parents of Sam, Joel, and Noel!
We visited Noel's place first.  While presenting, Noel's mother said to us, "I knew that something was wrong, but I didn't know what.  I thought she was bewitched."

Giving Noel's mom the presentation

I'm really glad we decide to tell her what Noel had.  She seemed very grateful for the information and tod us she would continue to teach her daughter how to do things.

After the presentation - LtoR: Noel's mom, Noel, Me

I went back to Noel's on Tuesday to give her a present.  A football.  She loved it:) Although when I first gave it to her, she just sat and held it in her lap. 

But when I was leaving, I turned around to see if she was playing with it and she had just barely started to kick it around! I turned around and stayed to watch for a couple of minutes.
Those couple of minutes turned into about 15 or 20 minutes, and I soon found myself kicking the ball to Noel and she was kicking it back to me.  She was so cute! :) I didn't want to leave her!

She was so happy!  I was finally able to see her smile - which is ADORABLE! :) I loved it:)  At times, when she would kick the ball, she was say, "Baaaalllllllll!" :) She also told me "Thank You"
Sam and Joel's presentations went well too!

While presenting to Joel's parents, they told us that whenever they go to the hospital in Kampala, the doctors always say they are "too busy" to see them. :(

After presenting to Joel's Parents - LtoR: Joel's Mother, Joel's Father, Joel, and Me

I wasn't quite sure what to tell them.  We gave them Moses's number and we are going to research and see if we can do anything for them.
Thank you Eric for translating for us.  We wouldn't have been able to do this without you!

After playing with Noel for a little bit, I leaned over to take this picture, and she copied me and leaned over as well! :) She is so cute.  I love her:)

I love these children so much.  I really will be so sad to leave them.  They are what have made my experience so amazing.  These children have such perfect spirits.  I am so grateful for the experience I have been able to have to get to know them and work with them. :)

 

Quote of the Day! :)

 "...by small and simple things are great things brought to pass and small means in many instances doth confound the wise." -Alma 37:6

Pictures from the Eye Camp:)

Here are pictures, like promised, from the Eye camp in Mbale July 30th thru August 3rd.

We were on TV! :)

"I can see!" - Nayundi Rose

Eye Surgery Patients

"I can read!  I can read!" - Mandu Haruna

"I can see the small letters! Even the big ones!" - Makale John

"Yes yes I can read! Even this one: 'How satisfying to the eye and to the mind...', yes I can read.  Before I couldn't even read this (pointing to large writing) but now I can read." - Nabukonde Aisha

"I am grateful  We are thankful for your work.  I am the chairman of this place - Mbale - and we appreciate your work." - Matovu Musoke H.P.

The doctors kit to determine the power of lens of glasses

She started to cry as she read the bible out loud to us. - Tibwa Rult

1st Day - Line was super long and it was 30 minutes before it was supposed to start!

"The eyes are like a camera" - Lamula Mutesi

"May the Lord bless you so very much for all the work you have done." - Amodoi Grace Ruth

Doing eye screenings

"It is now finished? Thank you!" - Maiki Esther

All the glasses we started off with

"Entering small letters and reading them has been a problem for me.  I have even had to ask for assistence.  Now I do not have to.  Thank you very much." - Mabeli Siraji

This man had cataracts in both eyes. :(

We got a little bored while waiting for patients that first day...

 

"I am now alive. Thank you very much." - Ikabai James

Then line the 2nd day - super long and it was 30 minutes before starting again

"When I see them like this they are very fake, but when I put on they are very clear." - Atim Ketty Ojwar

Cute ladies - the one in the green dress is the nurse's mother.

This is the English lady who has lived in Uganda for 22 years. I told you about her in my previous post.  She was the cutest lady! "Nothing to pay?  God bless you.  He must have brought me here today." - Christine Birt

And that was the eye camp!  All the quotes are from some of the amazing people we were able to help. :)
1st day - 46 glasses given
2nd day - 84 glasses given
3rd day - 77 glasses given
4th day - 64 glasses given
5th day - 47 glasses given
Eye Surgeries - My guess around 150-200 (I will know exact numbers later)
Overall Patients Seen - 400 or more each day.

Quote of the day! :)
 "The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt within the heart." - Helen Keller

Time is running short!

Sorry I have not posted in over a week.

As the summer is coming to an end, sadly so are our projects.  We have started to wrap up and finish the projects we have been working on.

This past week I have been in Mbale for an eye campaign, which we partnered with Sight Savers for.  It has been a great success.  329 Reading glasses were donated to us by The John Moran Eye Center, University of Utah, USA and we were able to pass out every single pair.  The campaign went from Monday until Friday, 9AM-6PM each day.  My jobs were to record names and give the correct power of lens to the patient.  Their smiles as they received their glasses made my day.  We have a great collection of quotes from a couple of the people.  They are so sweet and grateful to receive reading glasses.  It was amazing to see.

We had around 2,000 patients overall seen throughout the week and close to 200 eye surgeries – the most of them being cataract surgeries.

By the end of the week, we had to turn away a couple of patients because the power of lens they were prescribed had run out a couple days earlier.  Thursday and Friday we were left with only +2.00 - +2.75.  It was sad turning them away.  That was the worst part – seeing their faces drop when they found out we did not have that power for them.  It was heart wrenching.

We were also featured for the Uganda morning news, being a partner with the Mbale Hospital. :) We wish we could've seen it...but it's hard to watch the news without a tv.

There was a lady, who while trying on the glasses to see if she could read, was given a bible to read.  She started reading and tears started to fill her eyes!  She told us she hadn’t been able to read for about 7 years now.  It was very neat to see.

Another favorite of mine was an English lady who has lived in Uganda for 22 years now.  She didn’t even know about the eye camp; she just saw a bunch of people down at the eye department and came to check it out.  As we handed her her glasses, she asked us, “Nothing to pay?” It was the best moment ever.  I told her they would only cost a smile and a picture.  She was so sweet.  She then said as she was leaving, “God bless you.  He must have brought me here today.”
These people have gone years without being able to see.  Whether it is from cataracts, presbyopia, or whatever may be wrong.  It has been amazing to see their gratitude.  It is like instant rewards.  Their smiles are definitely genuine.  I could ask for no greater a reward.

Julia, we wish you could've been here for this.  It was so amazing, and I'm sure you would've loved it.  I took lots of pictures for you.  I will post them later because of the short time I have right now.

Because I had to suddenly leave on Sunday to come to Mbale, I was not able to do the presentations for Joel, Sam, and Noel this past week like I had planned. But I will be returning to Lugazi tomorrow and I plan to do the presentations then.  I will update you on how they go. :)

Once I do the presentations, I will be wrapping up that project as well.

I cannot believe that 3 months have passed already.  I don’t have much time left.  I wish I could have all the time in the world to stay here and help these people.  There is so much that can be done.

Uganda will always have a special place in my heart.  The friends who I have made will always be dear friends.  I will never forget them.  I love them so much.  They have nothing, yet have so much.  It has been a very humbling and great experience.  I will miss this wonderful and beautiful place so much and I hope I will be able to return one day.

Thank you to all the amazing people of Africa that I have met.  This experience wouldn’t be great without your love and kindness.

Quote of the day! :)

"Although the world is full of suffering, it is also full of overcoming of it." - Helen Keller