Here's a story of a woman named Bethany who found herself, to her great surprise, volunteering to go to Guatemala on a medical/dental mission trip with her church. Bethany believed that the Bible tells us we should help those who are in need, and she understood that there were many who greatly needed medical and dental care in the remote mountain villages of Guatemala. Her church had participated in trips to this region before, and Bethany’s heart had been touched by the stories of those who had served.
Bethany had long supported the mission trips financially and had even been involved in purchasing, sorting and packing medicines. But she had never experienced a mission trip before. Furthermore, Bethany didn’t have any medical training, so it never occurred to her to go. But one day it was announced that some new equipment had been purchased that would make it possible for non-medical volunteers to test vision and distribute standard eyeglasses according to the prescription determined by the equipment. Bethany felt moved to attend the training for the vision equipment, and before she knew it, she was on a bus leaving Guatemala City.
To say that Bethany immersed herself in the experience would be an understatement. Although she had always supported the missions of the church financially, she had never before been in such direct contact with such great humanitarian need. Her emotions at being among the people of the Guatemalan village overwhelmed her. On her second day, Bethany tested the vision of an older woman. Finding her to be extremely nearsighted, Bethany fitted her with glasses. As the woman put the glasses on, a group of young children came running toward her. The woman looked into their excited faces, then turned to Bethany. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she said to the interpreter: “I can see them! I can see their faces! Thank you. You have helped me see my grandchildren for the first time!”
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