If you recognize these team members, please leave a comment . . . .

Second Fabulous Day of Clinic!

This photo was the gentleman Mona helped yesterday and about whom the story was written. Isn´t he cute?

On our second day of clinic, we served over 1,400 Panamanian friends, with 110 referrals to specialists, and had another great day. We handmade over 80 pairs of glasses with frames and lenses we brought with us.

One of our team members, Alli, dispensed three pairs of her son´s glasses, all to one person who could use all three pairs!

The Lions volunteers were incredible, as always. They are students from 14 to 17, who translate and help move the patients through the clinic stations. They were responsible, fun and extremely helpful. We couldn´t do these missions without the local volunteers.

Wally Lovejoy had a great experience at dispensing today when he was able to put a pair of glasses on a woman who was -13.00 and had been wearing -4.00 glasses. She was 67 years old and never had any other glasses. When Wally gave her the glasses and she put them on, she was smiling and exclaimed, ¨I can really see!¨ It was a touching moment for Wally and everyone in dispensing.

The rooftop swimming pool at our hotel is quite impressive with its view of the city. However, the noise level in the night on the street is something none of us is used to. We were treated to a loud disco concert at 4.30 this morning from a car in front of the hotel. It was all the talk at breakfast.

Our team has really bonded in our short time here. The alumni are having a great time teaching our family and friends the workings of a clinic. They are catching on quickly!

It is interesting that here the sun rises over the Pacific Ocean!

Talk to you tomorrow - maybe we will all wear our Panama Hats when we talk!

A Grand Entrance to Panama!

Welcome back to our blog, Everyone! We all arrived safely and late Sunday night and met up with the crew who was already here setting up the clinic. The restaurant stayed open late for us for dinner and off to bed. Bright and early we began our journey to the clinic. A multi-level journey starting in Panama City much like a large metropolitan city in the U.S. We crossed the Bridges of the Americas across the Panama Canal and continued into the rural villages toward La Chorrera. As we pulled into the clinic, there was a crowd anxiously awaiting our arrival, making us feel like heros. We were motivated with a quick OneSight cheer and hurried off to our assigned stations to learn new skills and work with new partners. In a true team effort with no barriers by title, age or experience, our Team Panama joined with the Lions Club members and Leos/student volunteers/translators to set up our clinic stations. The people streamed in with the hopes they would be able to see better when they left, improving their lives. We did our best to make sure that happened, and in the end saw 982 Panamanian people. With local ophthalmologist support, we had over 100 referrals requiring additional services needed to address glaucoma, cataracts, etc.

There were special heartfelt stories at the end of the day. One particularly touching story came from leader Mona, who described a man who came in with old broken glasses and a very high prescription. His old glasses were held together with tape, but he was so proud of those glasses. He had received those glasses at our clinic in 2006 and had been showing them off ever since. Mona and others were trying to find glasses to fill his high prescription, and he kept telling stories of the time he visited the U.S. last year to play drums in a band. He especially liked Key West and hopes to go back there to visit his girlfriend. While he was in America, he had shown off his glasses and told everyone who would listen that the kind people of The Gift of Sight had given him the glasses and that is how he was able to play the drums. When Mona was able to find him a pair of glasses that were nearly perfect, he was ecstatic! In fact, Mona gave him TWO pairs of glasses in case one happened to break before we could come back and give him another pair! I am sure there will be many more stories from others similar to this to warm our hearts!

From what we have seen of the country during our bus rides, it is a beautiful, lush, warm and humid place. We can´t wait to explore more of the sights and get to know the people. Please come back and enjoy the ride with us!

Ready for Adventure

Hello!

Welcome to the blog of Team Panama 2009! We are glad you are here.

Team Panama is getting ready for their big adventure at the end of June. This is a very special mission comprised of Friends and Family joining seasoned international mission members. We will have about 50 associates, doctors and loved ones together for a week in La Chorrera, Panama, about an hour southwest of Panama City. From Sunday, June 28 through Sunday, July 5, we will be changing lives in the clinic and then taking some time to get to know the culture and see some local sights. Please come with us on a 'virtual' mission.

We are all very excited to share the experience with our loved ones, meet new friends and participate in the "Mission Magic." While in Panama, we will be posting photos and messages daily along with stories of our journey. We hope all of our friends and supporters will log onto our blog daily to see what we are up to and post their own messages back to us. That is one way we will truly be able to share this heartwarming experience with everyone back home.

If you are not familiar with OneSight and our Global Clinics, here is a little background. OneSight is a family of charitable programs dedicated to improving vision through outreach, research and education. Sponsored by Luxottica Group, OneSight programs have helped over 7 million people in its 20-year history. OneSight conducts clinics in developing countries where our doctors and trained volunteers provide free eye exams and recycled eyewear to thousands of people in need. Please log onto www.onesight.org for more information and clinic locations.

We are very excited to invite everyone along for a great ride!