Day Four - Cristo Rey Community

Today was our second day of clinic in a town just about 30 minutes from San Ignacio called Cristo Rey. The day started slowly but picked up with us not closing clinic until the last guest was seen at 4:45. We saw 227 people, many of them elderly and school children. It was hot but overcast, so not as hot as we were expecting.

Many children from the local school came through to the get sunglasses and a few actually needed reading glasses. 

It’s World Cup right now so we find ourselves competing with the sport, school, work, and other things keeping people from clinic.

We also are fighting the fact that other North American groups come through with missions and don’t deliver on promises. It hurts the numbers of people we can reach because they think they have to pay for the clinic. Then by the time the word spreads that we are offering free testing and free glasses, we’re ready to move to the next location. We pray that future groups will continue to serve the communities in an open manner. 

Family is important here. We’ve seen many family units come through. It’s so cool to see the younger kids take care of grandparents and bring them to clinic. Below, Gavin and one of the interpreters, Jeffrey, text test a woman for reading glasses. In the background, the dispensing table can be seen and behind it on the stage is where are the glasses are laid out to be pulled for each prescription. We at sitting in the floor because there aren’t enough tables for this station. 

Laura and Chris from Wisconsin met when their daughters were in pre-k and have been friends since. This is their 11th MOST mission. They are experts, along with Michael, and Adam, at dispensing. Behind them, you see Michael and Beth pulling glasses. 

Tonight was a change for dinner. Instead of eating at our hotel, we moved to the restaurant on the hill, Thr Grand Mayan Palace, where we were served the traditional Mayan meal of ... spaghetti and meatballs! We’ll be eating dinners here the rest of the week.