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Dr. Jim Schlesinger, an ER doctor at Mary Washington Hospital, treats a Peruvian woman at the team's clinic in Huamanguilla.
Dr. Miles Press (right) gives an eye exam to a Peruvian man at the clinic in Vega with assistance
Peruvian woman displays her crafts at the Santa Rosa hotel in Ayacucho, where the mission team stayed.
Dr. Jim Schlesinger examines an infant during the clinic in Huamanguilla, Peru. Wilderness Community Church in Spotsylvania sponsored the mission trip to South America.
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MY LIFE HAS BEEN
My journey started when
I asked him how I could help with the trip to South America, and he told me to contact Becky Van Renan, a registered nurse in Spotsylvania and Wilderness Community Church's medical mission leader.
When I reached her, she told me she has been trying for six years to get an optometrist for the mission trip, and that she could use any donations that I could arrange.
Well, three days later I told her I had arranged through National Vision Inc. to get 600 reading glasses and 400 pairs of sunglasses for her to take on the trip. I also offered to take personal leave and go with the team.
All I needed now was a passport, so I sent the documentation in. Two weeks went by and I did not hear anything. Time was of the essence. I contacted Sen. Jim Webb's office and told his staff about the planned trip and asked for help. That same afternoon, I received a call from the National Passport Agency and they told me if I would send to them my original birth certificate instead of a copy, they would get it out overnight. Two days later, it
I also contacted pharmaceutical and vision-care companies for medications and equipment to use on our trip.
They were gracious enough to donate more than $200,000 in medications, including implants for cataract surgeries as well as vision-care equipment. These companies included: AmeriCares, Blessings International, Crosslink International, Heart to Heart, Kingsway Charities, Project Hope, Allergan Pharmaceuticals, AMO-Abbott Pharmaceuticals, PediaVision, Alcon Pharmaceuticals, Hub Pharmaceuticals, Bausch&Lomb Inc., Haag Streit Inc., Texas Lions Club Recycling Center, Dr. Robert Searle and Reade Fahs, CEO of National Vision Inc., to whom I extend special thanks. Last but not least, I want to thank my wife, Greta Press, for allowing me to be part of this medical mission.
Our journey in Peru took us to Vega, Huamanguilla and Nahuinpuquio.
The people there depend on their eyesight to survive. Many are artisans who do detailed craftwork, sculptures, weaving and jewelry. In the remote areas, people survive by trading goods, such as potatoes for eggs and cheese, or straw for corn. The people closer in to Ayacucho may trade for money but most of them do not make more than a dollar
The opportunity to see a physician or have a vision test is like gold to them. In fact, one mother told us she and her children began walking from their home high in the Andes Mountains on Saturday and did not arrive until Monday for our clinic at Huamanguilla.
Our team saw more than 1,800 people in four days of clinics. We set up five specialty areas at each location: pediatric, adult, dental, eye clinic and eyeglass dispensary.
The general clinics gave out more than 1,800 bottles of vitamins and deworming pills to the Peruvian people.
The eyeglass dispensary gave out more than 600 reading glasses, 400 pairs of sunglasses and 400 pairs of prescription eyeglasses.
Dr. Manuel Martinot, an ophthalmologist from Peru joined me, and we managed to schedule 70 cataract surgeries and 16 pterygium surgeries in Ayacucho through the help of Dr. Porfirio Gutierrez, another ophthalmologist and the director of the Ayacucho Hospital.
One of the individuals that I saw was the Pastor Enrique Saune, the father of Pastor Joshua Saune. The 88-year-old man had bilateral cataracts for many years and is considered legally blind. Through our efforts, Enrique will have cataract surgery later this month.
When he delivers his weekly sermon at his church, Enrique will be able to see his congregation for the first time.
This was my calling; why I was supposed to be on this mission. I want to go back next year and help more people see.
Helping to restore the vision and health of the people there is an enormous gift and a life-changing opportunity that we were able to provide.
It was so overwhelming to see the Peruvian people's love for our medical team pour out graciously and I will cherish that feeling in my heart forever.
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Dr. Miles Press, an optometrist from Lake of the Woods, went on a medical mission trip in early October to Peru. The trip included members of Wilderness Community Church and Ebenezer Church and area doctors and nurses.
Others who went on the trip include: Dr. Dina Sharps, Jeanette Mabie, Bill Iwabuchi, Shannon McCartney, Dr. Jim Schlesinger, Dr. Vicki Farthing, Dr. Elsa Reimer, Becky Van Renan, Kelly Schlesinger, Caitlyn Rodgers, Mary Beth Rodgers and Carol Chudoba. |
| FAITH JOURNEY is an occasional column on experiences from mission trips, pilgrimages and conferences. |
