Kissy Eye Screening

This morning, I volunteered to be a helper at the eye screening held in Kissy, a nearby portion of Freetown. The eye team does daily screenings at different locations, where anyone can come and get their eyes screened and those who have significant problems can be treated or referred to the ship, where we have another eye team and eye surgeons. Our primary focus now, as we near the end of the outreach here in Sierra Leone, is cataracts.

We arrived to the site at about 7:30am where there were hundreds of people already waiting. We organized ourselves and had one person at the front gate who counted off the people into groups of about 30 to help with crowd control once inside the gate. Once in the gate, Clinton, a eye specialist, prescreened the people, looking for those we can help. Every child who had a cataract in one or both eyes were sent through. Adults with cataracts to both eyes were also sent through with a laminated card that signified that they were able to go into where the clinic was set up. I was stationed where those who could be helped lined up. After each group of about 30 people, I then led them to the clinic and lined them up outside. From there they went into the clinic, where they were further screened and their needs assessed. Martina, another lady who volunteered today, led the line of those we couldn't help to the gate to go out.
It was very hard to keep those who were "rejected" from going into my line. I noticed the desperation in some of the people to get help and when told we couldn't help them, there was a expression of rejection and further desperation. There are so many needs and because we are unable to meet all of them, I had to just commit them to the Lord in prayer and show them God's love. The hope expressed by those we could help was exciting to see, even when they still had yet to a second screening to see if we could further help them. The eye team does so much and has great stories of people being blind and now can see. Some weeks, they have a Celebration of Sight where patients who have had surgeries come back for a celebration of their healing. I understand its a big party with music, drums and dancing. A fellow crew member of mine who is a coordinator for the eye team, says one of the most fulfilling things to see, is when they see a child see their mother for the first time or when children who had never seen, now walk with purpose and direction and play and take in their surroundings through their eyes with vision we often take for granted. Thank the Lord for the work the eye team is doing!

I enjoyed being with the people of Sierra Leone in another way today. Interacting with the people, especially in the community gives me a fulfilling feeling. I have such joy, purpose and a sense of belonging while being here working with Mercy Ships. I can't wait to see all that God continues to do.