DAY TWO
Our first project: putting in a water purification system and doing a vision clinic in a slum area called La Tabla. Water would not start today, as the site needed to be looked over and materials list made. So vision it was. They even changed the time of the church service to the afternoon at 4pm so we could start first thing in the morning (now how many churches in North America would do THAT?!) 
Some snippets of info about La Tabla – this area is a large drug dealing community, with a feud going on between the Columbians and Nicaraguans for “drug lord rights.” There’s only one way to get in and out of this place: a narrow foot path bridge over a river. And for us to get in, to be respected and have safe passage, is for the woman pastor of the church to meet us at the bridge and escort us in. This woman is amazing – the kind of person who after you meet them, see what they’re doing, what they’re passionate about, you ask yourself, “What am I REALLY doing with my life?” She’s been there 15 years and has had several death threats. Her response? “They obviously don’t know who my boss is!” Besides pastoring the church, she runs programs to try and get the young people off the street from selling drugs by teaching them a trade. She’s got a cooking school and crafts and sewing center for the gals and a woodworking shop for the guys. She also has a computer lab and tutoring program. And if that isn’t enough to handle, there was a flood 2 yrs. ago and a family of 6 lost their home – they’ve been living in 2 small rooms at the church ever since. Like I said – AMAZING woman. The young people don’t get any money from what goods are sold (they’d just buy drugs.) So instead their studies are paid for – school uniforms, supplies, etc.
The vision clinic was great, as always. We saw 124 people, 84 of which got glasses (the other 40 not needing them) and most of those 84 got 2 pair: one para lear (for reading) and one para distance (for distance.) Lots of astonished smiles on faces of folks who haven’t been able to read for years, even decades. Hugs, kisses on the cheek, crying (on our parts mostly.) One woman had been abused, her eyesight almost nonexistent in her right eye for 10 years. After about 2 hours and 4 of us working with her, she was able to leave with the ability to read and walk without stumbling. Humbling stuff.
Back to home base for a hot meal, courtesy of the facilities manager’s wife, Maria (God love her!) Debriefed the day, capped it off with a rousing game of Apples to Apples and off to get pj’s on. Then swept in from the airport is our last team member from Canada around 9:30pm. At last – team is together!
