“Daddy, there is a little 10-year-old girl in the village who can’t see. Could we help her?” our daughter asked one afternoon.

“Do you know what happened to her?” I asked.

“No, I just know she can’t see.”

This little girl is one of so many in deep need of help. We have been in Cambodia four months already, but it feels more like a year. So much has happened in such a short time. Daily, 10 to 20 people show up at our house with long-term ailments. There are many people with rotting and/or broken teeth; people with odd growths and tumors; some with hepatitis C, cirrhosis or other organ-destroying illnesses. Many also struggle with type-two diabetes. The majority have many of the same symptoms—numbness and tingling of the extremities, dizziness and headache—that point to vitamin and mineral deficiencies and insufficient water intake. We are seeing the huge need of health education among our precious people group. Our hope is that the upcoming generation might be able to avoid much of the sickness that has plagued their parents’ generation. The old saying, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” comes to my mind often.

We have been busy treating people with simple herbs, such as garlic and turmeric, and some medications, though we always tell people that the medication doesn’t fix the underlying problem. We also try to teach them about lifestyle changes that can help them heal. Those who have major problems we can’t treat we take to the hospital and serve as their advocates to make sure they get care.
While we plug away at meeting the physical needs of those around us, we also see God opening spiritual doors. We pray with people who come for help, telling them that although we have a part to play, it is God who is able to heal their sickness. As Muslims, they already believe in Jesus as a prophet, so we have been sharing how Jesus especially loves to heal the sick. We are blessed to give God the glory with them as they experience healing.

Back to the story of the little blind girl. I will call her DeeSaa. A few weeks ago, DeeSaa and her parents showed up at our house seeking help. DeeSaa stole our hearts almost immediately. She is precious, and it was touching to see the love and care she received from her parents, aunts and uncles. After examining DeeSaa, it was apparent to me that she had severe cataracts, and I learned that she’d had them since birth. I asked her parents why they had not taken her in for examination in all these years, and their answer was typical: “We didn’t have the money, and we didn’t know where to go.”

We recently found out about a children’s hospital a few hours away in Phnom Penh that provides free eye surgery. We were ecstatic to connect DeeSaa and her parents with this hospital, but we could sense their apprehension and fear of the unknown. What would the surgeons do to their little girl? How would they support themselves so far from home? What if something bad happened? Would they be left alone in a strange place to fend for themselves?

We were happy to relieve their fears and assure them that we would do everything we could to help them. We prayed with them and invited God into our initiative.

Long story short: God blessed! A few uncertainties popped up, like when the doctors weren’t sure if they had lens implants that would fit the dimensions of her eyes, and the possibility that the surgery wouldn’t succeed because of how long she had been unable to see. But DeeSaa went through the surgery with no complications, and now she and her parents are radiant with joy. DeeSaa cannot see perfectly, but she can see a lot better! Next week we will go in to check her vision and see if glasses could help her further.

Jesus cares so much for people who are down and out. Little DeeSaa has “new eyes,” and although they’re not perfect, they have greatly improved her life. Your support—both spiritual and financial—made this blessing possible for DeeSaa. Thank you for caring and for sacrificing.

Pray that as we continue to serve our precious Great River people, more and more would have their eyes opened to the matchless love Jesus has for them. I am certain that when they see this, their lives will never be the same again!

• Twitter