Turning blindness into sight

Sight loss can be life-threatening for a child in Papua New Guinea

When Patrick was a baby, his mother Michelle saw the dim disks of cataracts in the eyes of her firstborn. She knew what they meant. A childhood of increasing blindness and a lifetime of poverty, even more challenging than her own. All Patrick’s Mum and Dad could do was hope that his sight would never grow dim.

The time came, though, when they could no longer deny it: “He kept moving the paper very close to his eyes,” said Michelle. “Patrick could not see clearly!”

In the wilderness of PNG’s Highlands, sight loss can be life-threatening for a child – surrounded by sharp branches, thorns, deadly creatures, and dangerous slopes.

Trying to keep him at home didn’t work. He loved helping with chores, like chopping firewood for the family. Mum explained “Patrick is a good boy. We tell him not to do this work, but he doesn’t like to sit around and do nothing.”

Patrick agreed. “I work! This problem with my sight won’t stop me!”

Sadly, his cataract glare became unbearable. “When there is sunlight, I can’t see,” he admitted.

At school, Patrick noticed things were getting worse. “I find it hard to see my teacher’s writing.” His mother noticed too, “Even from the front of the class. It is a struggle.”

Education is vital in breaking the cycle of poverty and disability. If Patrick was to miss out on his schooling, his life would be overwhelmed by deepening poverty.

He would miss out on the future dream he cherished. “I want to become a Pastor. I love the work they do.” How could a Pastor possibly minister across the Highlands’ muddied and rutted tracks, when they could not see?

Thanks to kindness like yours the area where cbm can work has been enlarged. As a result, a cbm-funded field worker was able to reach Patrick’s home, bringing the good news of freedom from cataract blindness.

Examining Patrick and seeing the level of blindness he was experiencing, the cbm-funded field worker recommended that he receive urgent medical treatment.

The next day, thankfully, Michelle and Patrick were able to make plans for their journey to the Goroka Eye Hospital, where, within hours of arriving, Patrick would be scheduled for sight-saving cataract surgery!

What an amazing turnaround after 13 years without hope. 

As they prepared to leave for the hospital, Patrick peered through the glare and haze, looking for a mountain he loved to see when his cataracts weren’t so bad. “I would love to have the eye operation so that I can see things. I will be so happy to see clearly again.”

On the day of surgery, Michelle was a little fearful and sad as she watched Patrick being guided into the operating theatre. “I was tearing up. It is Patrick’s first time having an operation.”

Thanks to support like yours, Michelle didn’t need to be concerned. Soon the blinding cataracts in Patrick’s eyes were skilfully replaced with beautifully clear new lenses.

When they returned home, there was the mountain peak he remembered. “The mountain I used to see far away is now very clear! It is very big and bright! I can see the mountain!”

Kindness from people like you has helped Patrick overcome the mountain of his disability. Now he can see a far better future ahead: including his dreams. He can catch up at school. He can become a Pastor. He can share the Gospel.

Today, please, prayerfully consider sending a sight-saving gift, multiplied x5 by our Government’s Aotearoa New Zealand International Development Cooperation Programme. Your gift will have a tremendous impact, giving adults and children their independence, freedom from abuse, and a chance to shape their own future.

Your gift today will help:

• Provide glasses for adults and children who have difficulty seeing, enabling children to obtain an education to help break the cycle of poverty and disability.
• It will help provide sight-saving cataract surgeries, enabling adults and children with avoidable blindness to see!
• It will help support cbm-funded field workers in remote areas to find adults and children with disabilities, and refer them for specialist help.
• And it will continue to help cbm’s partners improve local health facilities, such as hospitals and clinics that need essential infrastructure, equipment and staff trained in specific skilled disability prevention services. Due to limited funding and not enough trained staff, many of these local health facilities do not have sufficient specialised equipment for screening and assessment of disability services.

Think of the joy your gift will create – especially when multiplied x5. You can hear such joy as Michelle says this of Patrick:

“As his mother, I am so happy, because his future is very important. I thank God and thank you. He can see everything clearly! When he goes to school, it won’t be a hardship for him any more. Thank you – and all glory goes back to God!!”