T-minus three days and counting...

Hi everyone! I'm going to attempt to blog from Cobán, Guatemala. I leave for a Give the Gift of Sight international mission on Monday, June 16. I'm super excited to help people see, as I firmly believe it's a basic human right. So many people, in so many countries don't have the modern technology that we in the United States do, to be able to check their eyes every year. Like we can.

I went on my first mission to Romania, in 2006. The number of people whose damaged eyes I looked at through an autorefractor was so sad. They'd tell me that they had surgery in their country to counteract cataracts or fix another problem. They hoped that we would be a miracle for them. For most of those people, the best we could do to help was to give them sunglasses.

The people we were able to help were so grateful. I witnessed a little boy see his mom for the first time. His smile is one I'll never forget! I had elderly men kiss my hands in thanks, and old women blessing me and the United States for what we did for them. I had young volunteers cry in my arms, thanking me for what we did for them and their country - and saying that they'd miss us terribly and to please come back.

This will be another once-in-a-lifetime for me. I'm very much looking forward to helping people see. As a photographer, I couldn't imagine not being able to do so!

I truly hope to be able to post to this blog as I'm giving the gift of sight! The days are long and tiring. My first priority is to the misison, my second to my team, and my third to letting you know what's happening.

Send good thoughts to us, and if you're the type, prayers. My team and I can use it!