Those I Couldn't Pray For

I have been honored with the privilege of praying with patients before their eye exams.  This job is very much a roller coaster of emotions.  The joy that we see from people every day that have next to nothing is amazing!  When asking, “how can I pray for you,” my favorite response has been, “God is in control of everything.”  What an amazing faith!

But these aren’t the stories I want to share with you tonight.  Tonight, I want to tell you about the grandmother and grandson in the picture on this post.  It had been a good morning.  We had prayed with many patients, and it was still early.  On the bench in front of me sat a little boy and his frail grandmother.  It wasn’t uncommon to see people leading the elderly to be seen by the doctors.  What was uncommon was a child of this age being an escort.  I approached them with a usual greeting, and waited for my interpreter ( the local pastor) to fill in the blanks.  This time, he didn’t come back with a usual reply.  Pastor St. Verty proceeded to tell me that this was a grandmother and grandson.  We had many blind people come through, so I wasn’t shocked hen he told me she was blind.  What shocked me was that he told me the grandson was also blind.  We questioned how it was possible for him to lead his grandmother to the clinic.  I thought there was no way that this could be true.  I waved my hand about a foot from his face.  There was no response.  I waved it two inches from his face.  He could follow my hand, but not focus.  My heart dropped.  How could a blind grandmother and grandson make it to the mission, much less out of the front door?  I felt my throat starting to choke up, and I felt tears welling in my eyes.  These were (and still are) the only people I have had to step away from, and have someone else pray for.

What I have encountered in Haiti is nothing short of inspiring, but also heart breaking.  I’m amazed at a faith that most of us could never comprehend.  Our God is truly a great and wonderful God, and He is constantly teaching me that my perspective on life can be very out of focus.  Thank God for the iTeam, and all that they do.  They truly define a servant’s heart.