After
having emergency surgery for a torn retina last month, I've been slightly
preoccupied with my eyes. I was given the all clear to travel to Tanzania
to visit our LMH serving in the Diocese of Mtwara with the advice that if I
experienced certain symptoms I was to go to an ophthalmologist as soon as
possible. Easier said than done.
During my first few days in Tanzania, maybe because it was very bright, I became aware of more floaters in my eye. I kept swatting the air thinking they were insects. I became a bit anxious wondering what I should do? Am I overreacting and this is nothing? Should I turn around and fly back home immediately? Is there anywhere in this country I could go to get checked - and if my retina was tearing again, do they have the sophisticated equipment they have in the US to handle it? I took a chance and said many prayers that if anything was wrong, it could wait until I got home.
This experience, and my momentary panic, got me thinking beyond myself. What about the people here? What would they do? What could they do? For the vast majority of people, there is no option – they will lose their sight. For some, they don’t have the money to pay for tests or operations. But for most people, even if they did have the money, the services aren’t available.
During my first few days in Tanzania, maybe because it was very bright, I became aware of more floaters in my eye. I kept swatting the air thinking they were insects. I became a bit anxious wondering what I should do? Am I overreacting and this is nothing? Should I turn around and fly back home immediately? Is there anywhere in this country I could go to get checked - and if my retina was tearing again, do they have the sophisticated equipment they have in the US to handle it? I took a chance and said many prayers that if anything was wrong, it could wait until I got home.
This experience, and my momentary panic, got me thinking beyond myself. What about the people here? What would they do? What could they do? For the vast majority of people, there is no option – they will lose their sight. For some, they don’t have the money to pay for tests or operations. But for most people, even if they did have the money, the services aren’t available.
Even
simple procedures like checking vision in children is not common. Very few students at Aquinas Secondary School
wear glasses. Do they just have
exceptionally good vision? Or is it
because they don’t have optometrists in the area or the money to pay for an
exam or glasses even if they did?
So
this is what has been on my mind lately.
How unfair it is that I have access to so many services, regardless of
whether or not I can afford them, and how unfair it is that so many of our
brothers and sisters around the world do without.
What
can we do? Can we look at things with
different “eyes”? After feasting on
turkey and the trimmings on Thursday, finding bargains on Black Friday and
Cyber Monday, we can do something for someone else on Giving Tuesday? Can we be the eyes, ears, hands and feet of
Jesus here on earth?
Give
the gift of education, healthcare and social services through the work of Lay
Mission-Helpers. Help us change the
world. http://www.laymissionhelpers.org/giving-tuesday
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