michaelgcasey cartoons made with words: If you have a dollar or two to spare, Give Sight.....

Monday, 1 April 2024

If you have a dollar or two to spare, Give Sight.....

From: The Padre Pio Foundation of America <padrepio@padrepio.com>
Date: Mon, 1 Apr 2024, 22:01
Subject: "I heard you can fix my eyes."
To: <michaelgcasey@gmail.com>

"I heard you can fix my eyes."

Back row: Sonny, team leader Wendy Black-Nasta and Jesse with Vi in front

Michael, are you reading this with glasses? What if you had poor eyesight and no access to eyecare as a child? Imagine never seeing the world around you in focus. Struggling in school and feeling hopeless because you can’t read books or see what the teacher is writing on the board. Would YOUR life have turned out the same?

Here's a story for you:

It was the last day of the first Native Eyes clinic in 2018, when two sisters walked in all alone. The younger, 12-year-old Jesse, bravely stepped forward and said:

“I heard you can fix my eyes.”

She was failing in school and knew her main issue was that she couldn’t see properly. The siblings had a difficult home life and their parents had not registered them for the free eye exams. Jesse realized if she wanted to get help, she would have to go to the eye clinic herself.

The team was deeply touched by Jesse’s initiative and wasted no time in examining Jesse and her big sister, Sonny. As expected, both girls had poor vision.

The first clinic in 2018 focused on adults, but divine intervention dramatically changed the course of the project. When entire families showed up, the doctors also examined the children. What they discovered was almost unbelievable: 94% of all children had terrible astigmatism. It was clear that the Tribe had been afflicted with poor eyesight for generations. How different their lives could have been!

When we found out about this project, we knew that Padre Pio would want to help! In 2019, the PPFOA sent staff member and registered nurse Krissy to travel with the Native Eyes Clinic and see the impact of this project first-hand. When she returned, Krissy (pictured) had tears in her eyes as she shared her experience and how grateful everyone she met was to receive the precious gift of clear vision.

Since then, your support has allowed a large team of optometrists, ophthalmologists and opticians from across America to bring vision care to the Rosebud Tribe for two weeks each year. Thanks to YOU 8,000 children, adults and seniors have already received free eye exams and prescription glasses.

The medical team donates their time and expertise and is able to source free frames and lenses for this life-changing project, but they still need $42,000 worth of essential equipment. This equipment is an investment in the Tribe’s future and will last for years.

This is why they need YOUR help.

Padre Pio told us, “Charity is the measure by which our Lord judges all things.” {First Name} 100% of your gift, no matter the amount, will go towards equipping the traveling clinic and the team with all they need to examine the children and make their corrective glasses. Together, we are not just providing vision care, but changing the children’s future. There are no limits to what these kids will be able to achieve with perfect vision because of your charity and kindness.