Every now and then, something
happens that makes me feel truly blessed and privileged to be doing this
work. The story below
describes one of those situations………
It is a story from Meaghan (our volunteer in the field) about Voch Loeum,
one of our villagers who has been blind for more than 20 years.
......Almost every Saturday, for the past four months, Voch Loeum,
has come to Dr Phara’s clinic as a patient with Helping Hands eye
treatment programme. Loeum
has been blind for more than 20 years.
After 9 visits, 3 cataract surgeries, numerous post-op check ups
and a lovely new pair of glasses, Leum has evolved before my eyes.
In
November, she looked so sullen and withdrawn.
Both eyes had substantial cataracts.
She had lost her vision more than 20 years ago.
All she saw of the world was darkness. She has over 30
grandchildren and has never seen them.
She only knew them through their voices.
After all her treatment, two
weeks ago, the darkness grew into light, and then into fuzzy objects.
Today
she was acting like a giddy teenager.
Her treatment was over and all that was left to do was go to the
optician to get her some prescription glasses.
The young store clerk put the large testing glasses on her and
for thirty minutes, she walked around the store in awe.
She stared in complete confusion at a poster of a model modelling
glasses. She stared at the
traffic outside in shock. She
looked at herself in the mirror and just absorbed the reflection.
Layers of hard years, pain and frustration washed off her face.
She giggled. 
The store clerk called her over so she could try on frames.
She told her to sit down. Instead
of sitting on the high stool near the counter Loeum sat right down on
the floor. The store clerk
smiled and told her to sit on the stool.
Loeum had some difficulty as she tentatively pulled herself up
onto the stool. She let out
a brief scream; afraid she was going to fall out.
She giggled again.
The store clerk helped her try on some frames.
Loeum was concerned because she couldn’t see as well with the
ordinary frames. She wanted
to keep the large testing glasses. The
store clerk assured her that she would put the right lenses in her
frames.
After choosing a pair and getting the lenses made, Loeum gazed at
herself in a full-length mirror admiring the reflection.
She adjusted her shoulders and stood up a little taller. 
She gave me the biggest smile and got ready to leave.
I felt so lucky to have been able to witness such an amazing
transformation.
I
was smiling from ear to ear as I watched Loeum prepare to walk out into
the world with sight for the first time in 20 years.
Unfortunately, she walked right into the glass door and looked at
it in confusion as she wondered how to open it.
This was her first interaction with a door.
Usually, she would always have someone else leading her
everywhere.
I stayed behind her and motioned the action.
She really struggled but managed to push it open.
She might be learning a lot of new things in the near future.
But I think she will enjoy it.
There is so much newness, and of course, her grandchildren to
discover.
Footnote
from Deborah: When talking with Loeum back in the village one of
the things she was most happy about was that she now got to eat more
meat. When Cambodian families sit down to eat it is a communal
affair with the food placed in the middle. If you can't see where
the "good stuff" is, you miss out!
By the way, you might be wondering how much it
actually cost to restore Loeum's sight. You can click
here to go to page two of this newsletter which shows the most
common eye problems and the measly amounts it costs to treat them.
(But please read Chanty's story, below, first.)
