A new face - a new life

The woman behind the counter in the shop came in bearing a broom and bucket. As she caught my gaze on her, she turned her face away in confusion and started shuffling back into the outside room. I called to her and she hesitated. I told her I have nursing training, and she hesitantly lifted her face to the South African light streaming in through the shop window. Her face was ravaged, her mouth and nose misshapen to the side. Patricia had suffered an accident, and did not have the funds to repair the damage caused to her face which caused her unspeakable pain. Patricia had problems eating, and could only drink through a staw. When I asked her the amount the surgery would cost, it amounted to almost the same amount I had in Charity funds allocated for an emergency good work while in Africa. Providence must have been planning for this lady's need, then. Lumiere Charity gave her the funds, and the result of her consultation was the good news that she was eligible for surgery which would reconstruct the damaged portions of her face. This would help her to breathe, eat and speak normally again, and also to be able to breathe properly so she could sleep well again at night. The operation would also impart a regular look to her features, to which she looked forward to.

Patricia had felt unable to do behind the counter work due to her facial injury, and a kindly manager had hired her for work at her request in the back rooms for light cleaning tasks. As I turned to go after finalising the furnishing of funds for her surgery, she asked me to thank the benefactors who had made the donation for her surgery possible. "They have given me a new life," Patricia said. As I walked out into the South African sunshine, her words stayed with me. In the spirit of Lumiere, the passing on of Christ's Light to a hurting world, would you consider financially helping someone in your area to undergo a surgery which could change their life? You can do this by fundraising, coffee morning, requesting for donations as per your local community guidelines. A rebuilt face can mean a rebuilt life.
 

*Name has been changed
*Photograph taken by Catherine Nicolette. Please feel free to use copyright free for any worthy purpose