Clinic Blog: 2011 South Africa 2 Clinic Blog
October 28, 2011
Stores Part 4
By twible
Dr. Adam Hill, LensCrafters, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Like all the other team members, I’ve been trying to learn a few words of the Zulu language to help around the clinic. I’ve probably got a dozen words and phrases in my head, everything from “please” and “thanks” to “come with me” and “look over there”. Today I was without a translator while working in the angles station – taking a quick look at each patient’s eyes to ensure that it’s safe for them to have the dilating drops. This one patient, a Zulu man in his mid-50s, had obvious damage to one eye from a past injury, so I was taking a closer look at that eye. After fumbling through a couple iterations of the Zulu equivalents of “look at me”, “look over here”, and so on, the man turned to me, shook his head no, and said in flawless English: “That eye is f***ed up.”
That’s certainly one way of learning which patients speak English!
Steve Losey LensCrafters, Buffalo, New York
First and foremost, my wedding anniversary was yesterday and I missed it. Not because I forgot but because I have a loving and caring wife who supports my passion for Onesight. She gave up our special time together so that I could be here to deliver eyecare to those who need it most. And I just wanted to let her know that we will celebrate when I get back because I don’t need a special day to remind me how much I love her.
Secondly, this is an encounter with a family that I wanted to share. An older woman was getting her glasses dispensed and I was standing with her adult daughter. Her daughter just stood there and with a translator’s help kept saying that this was a waste of time because her mother can’t see. I remember saying ‘ Just wait and see” She then continued to insist it was a waste of time. Well guess what, she could see! The old woman was laughing and the daughter was smiling. What a great day!
Karen Hall OPSM, Sydney, Australia
We have seen over 1500 people in the past two and a half days providing eye care to the poor communities. The Zulu people are proud and majestic people and it is the elderly that tug at my heart. I love the vibrant colours they wear especially their headwear.
On the way to the clinic this morning we saw two giraffes and two rhinos. Yesterday we saw numerous groups ofnzebra and the highlight was the baby zebra feeding. We have seen 3 elephants, water buffalos and warthogs. I think the silhouette of an elephant at dusk is amazing.
South Africa is a beautiful country...