The American Physical Therapy Association, the World Health Organization, and many others have had vision 2020 plans for goals they wanted to achieve by next year. They played off the year and the normal visual acuity of humans, 20/20. As we approach 2020, we are coming into our own clarification of vision and plans for the next year. Although our timing wasn’t planned to coincide, it just seems to be falling in place.

Over the last fourteen years, the therapy program I helped start at ASELSI in Chichicastenango has grown from treating seven children on a regular basis to over eighty participants. The program also now treats twenty adults needing rehabilitation services. I wish I had better numbers of how many different people we have actually evaluated over the years.

I naively thought we’d get to a point where we would have served all those in need in the area. Instead, we’ve seen that, though it is a great service, many still can’t access the care we provide. Since we live in a mountainous area, just getting in and out of the home to the clinic can be a barrier. Although local transportation has improved, accessing it still can be a challenge for people with disabilities. Some families say the drivers won’t stop for them because it takes them longer to get on and off.

So in 2020 instead of just having people come to ASELSI, we’re going to train people within their own community to go to them. We’re starting with a group of people from a church in Chuabaj, who are part of our partnership with ASELSI. I shared with you about our introductory training there this past August.

Last week the same group come to ASELSI. During their time, they heard how the therapy program at ASELSI started, discovered how they’re continuing the work in a new way, observed our rehabilitation promoters working with the people we serve at ASELSI, and visited with everyone during snack time. Many of them expressed their eagerness to learn, although they know it will take a lot of work to move as easily as they saw our rehabilitation promoters do in the various activities they did with their patients.

Shes and I are looking forward to what God is going to do in and through each of them. They’ve patiently waited and will be giving of their time to learn to do this with us this year. Classes start January 8th! We may not be at 20/20 vision, but we know the one who does, and more, and we will follow Him as best as we can.