Toluca Day 1

WOW. Incredible day. All the volunteers hopped on a bus (18 in total, I think) pulled up to the mission venue and there were HUNDREDS of people. People clogging the roadway, a sea of people, all here to see us. We looked out in awe, waving through the tinted windows. I cried, I laughed, I stumbled my way through dozens of hearing aid fittings. I saw a man with hooks for hands, I saw a woman frantically needle pointing a toilet seat cover, I saw a woman so overcome with gratefulness she had to give me something. She gave me a bruised yellow apple from the depths of the trash bag she used as a purse and I've never felt so overwhelmingly happy. 

We're using a fitting system I've never heard of and it's so easy to question the validity and reliability of it, but the sheer volume of people we help makes it worth it. I learned today that Starkey's mission is to give the gift of hearing so that the person may hear well enough to go out into the world, obtain a job, and be able to support themselves so that they may afford a better hearing aid down the road.

I feel so fortunate to be here, so fortunate to be in a position where I can provide help and hope.

Also, on an unrelated note, I had my first Big Mac today. Starkey is sure taking advantage of my burger weakness.