Well, this week I had an eye-opening experience so to speak...It started off as a pretty normal day...My friend Megan decided that we should go for a swim in the morning at a nearby pool and told me that her brother-in-law would be coming along with us. When he arrived, I noticed he was holding onto Megan's arm..."That's odd, I thought." Then I looked at his face and saw him squinting his eyes...and then it dawned on me that he was blind. I was a bit surprised and wasn't really sure what to say or do. She hadn't mentioned anything about him being blind, but then again, they were both used to it.
I guess I've never really stopped long enough to actually process what life would be like without the gift of sight. Sure, I've played those games growing up where you have to lead each other around and appreciate that you have eyes to see...But, it's kind of different when you actually meet someone who is blind and spend time with them.
As we walked in, Megan went inside to the locker room while Cuibis held on to my arm as we walked down to the pool. He proceeded to ask me a series of questions about our surroundings, where he should leave his belongings, etc. I was a little bit caught off guard at first....for him, this was everyday life...people were constantly describing things to him that his eyes could not see so that he could create a picture in his mind of what was around him. I stopped for a second to think...I didn't want to awkwardly tell him too much or too little about the setting...this was all very new to me. I stumbled through some descriptions, walked him to the side of the pool, and proceeded to explain where he should go to swim his laps. Unfortunately, they were cleaning the pool that morning and had a big hose running across the pool, so it was a little bit challenging to swim laps, especially for a person who can't see.
Cuibis requested lane lines, but they told him it wouldn't be possible today due to the cleaning. But that wouldn't stop him. He shrugged and proceeded to start swimming his laps. I know that when I swim without goggles and can't open my eyes under water, I rarely swim in a perfectly straight line. Well, I suppose that's a bit what it's like for a blind person to swim...except that when they come out of the water, they can't see where they've ended up. But, Cuibis was very determined and wouldn't let anything stop him. He even kept Megan and I on track, telling us how many laps we needed to swim of each stroke. It was a bit like swim team. I had a hundred different things going through my head...I was so intrigued by this man. I had never actually known a blind person before. What was life like for him and his family, not being able to drive or see his wife's face or his new little girl who was just born a few months ago. "Ok, girls, three more laps of freestyle," Cuibis called out, interruptng my thoughts.
We finished up our laps and started heading home. Cuibis had lots of questions for me about the ship and what I'd be doing in Africa. The more I talked to him, the more I realized that even though he was physically limited, he didn't let his disability keep him from living a full and fulfilled life. He had a good job, a wonderful family, and an amazing faith in the God who created Him. As we dropped him off at his house and said goodbye, I was left with more than a sense of pity...I was inspired.
It seemed fitting that I would encounter a blind person right before embarking on my next adventure with the Africa Mercy. One of the most common surgeries we do is cataract removals. Many people are eagerly waiting for us in Sierra Leone....among them, I'm sure there are many who cannot see or have limited vision due to cataracts and other eye problems. I'm so excited to be a part of the miracle of sight that will take place in their lives...For someone like Cuibis, who has been blind from birth, there is no surgery to open his eyes. But, ironically, this blind man is the one that God used to open my eyes to the world of those who have no physical sight, yet the amazing things that He is able to do in and through them...one day, Cuibis will have new eyes in heaven and he'll be able to see a place that is more beautiful than anywhere he could've ever seen on earth...For now, my heart is with those in Sierra Leone who are blind both physically and spiritually...I know we will see many eyes opened his year!
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