Cleaning up… Clearing up

Today I was out looking, my favorite pastime, fascinated by the things I can see in my part of the world… when I suddenly remembered that I hadn’t followed up on something I mentioned in this BLOG last month. A good friend of mine told me about a newborn baby girl in Tijuana who was born with an unusual condition which can be corrected, but if left uncorrected will result in permanent blindness.  She was born with cataracts which can be surgically removed. She was too tiny and frail to go through the surgery immediately after her birth, but if it is postponed too long, the neural damage will have been done, and she won’t ever be able to see.  Done soon, she should be able to have near normal eyesight.  Her name is Valeria.

My friend, Steven Jirjis, learned of the family’s distress because they simply can never afford the surgery.  He was moved to join a small group of people who decided they would try to get the money for the surgery in the only ways they had ever known for church and school projects.  They organized bake sales and held a couple of raffles.… and Steven found a WEB business called “Giveforeward.”  I acknowledge that I had never heard of it… but I trust Steven’s judgement because I know him to be a person of integrity and compassion.  He contacted the company, made a contract with them, and to date that “source” has generated $50. The Internet company doesn’t include in its  details the fact that the group has raised just over $2,000 with their chocolate and bake sales and their raffle, all done by friends and a couple of churches on both sides of the border. But before the surgery, they must raise $350 more, and then finally the surgery and after care will come to a total of $4,520.  That’s in Tijuana where medical services are good; the cost there is a fraction of what the surgery would cost on our side of the border. 

You’ll find some of the details at: http://www.visionforvaleria.org

As I said, I don’t know anything about this WEB business, but I know Steven, and I trust him.  Take a look at it and see what you think.  I’m participating directly and just wanted you to know…If you want to get in touch with Steven, his e-mail address: 

sjirjis@gmail.com

Moon in the night sky... Wow!  I like the idea 

that Valeria will someday see it the way I saw it tonight.

I got the picture with the little Sony point-and-shoot camera.