In Need of Cheaters

I made it 29 years before it happened.  Twenty-nine years with good eyes.  29 years without having to use "cheaters".

Then one cold and dark night I watched the bus approaching.  Yes, I was hopeful that it would be our bus to take us home-after all, winter in Poland is something you want to run away from-even if your refuge is a bustling and bumpy bus.  Therefore, seeing 64 thrilled not only me but also my frozen toes.  

"64!  It's Bus 64!" I proclaimed to my anxious husband.  He stood and glanced at the oncoming bus.  Then he sat back down.

"Brooke, that's bus 60."

No!  It couldn't be.  But could it?  I glanced again.  Argh!  I honestly could not tell whether it was 60 or 64.

That's when it hit me.  Perhaps, living nearly 30 years with great eyes, I should go for my first eye exam ever.

Sure enough---my 20/20 in my glory days of youth changed.  I, along with many others around the world, was in need of glasses.

When I lifted the glasses made for me to my eyes for the first time, it was as if I went from a blurry world of fuzzy details to sharp HD TV-immediately.  

In fact, I continued to lift my glasses to my face, move them down. Up.  Down.  Up.  Down.  It was amazing how quickly the world changed depending on the position of my glasses.  Were they on?  Were they off?

I am now 35.  I am in my 6th year of glasses.  That's when it happened again.  

I was experiencing huge headaches.  I could hardly sleep at night.  My eyes seemed to pulsate in pain.

Finally I decided to go for my annual vision check.  Let's say that was a wise choice.

My left eye had changed dramatically in the last year.  It was amazing that I could see anything out of my previous lens.

We changed the prescription and almost immediately upon receiving my new "eyes" my headaches disappeared.  My eyes watered less.  I could sleep peacefully at night.

And, just like I did 6 years earlier, I began to close my left eye.  Open it.  Close it.  Open it.  All of a sudden, I could see the individual leaves on the trees.  They were beautiful, and I would be able to enjoy them---especially since it's time for Poland to turn the autumn shades of crimson, gold, and bronze.  

I breathed sighs of contentment.  I could see.  And seeing is nice.  Oh so nice.

According to the Centre for Vision in the Developing World, there are over 1 billion people around the world in need of glasses.

I was merely 1 person in need of glasses-but there is a difference between me and the 1 billion without.  I could go for an exam.  I could purchase the glasses I need.

But, like the 1 billion around the world in need of glasses, I, too, know what it feels like to not see well.

Through the foundation Bread of Life, two highly skilled, professional optometrists have taken a stand for those 1 billion in need.  They have taken a stand and said, "Everyone has the right to see well!"

Hania and Piotr Buczkowski have started a project called Bartimaeus.  It performs eye vision exams for those that cannot afford them-men, women, and children by the hundreds.

That is obviously Step 1.

And then it goes beyond.  Hania and Piotr take it to Step 2.  They don't just check the eyes-they make sure those in need get "new eyes".  

Hundreds of eye exams performed.  Hundreds of glasses given. Their vision is huge.  Not only do the less fortunate in Poland receive their new eyes, but Hania and Piotr also think globally, wanting to help those farther east in Europe.  They want to be a vitally important part of that 1 billion.  They want to help realize the beauty of the world through eyes that can see.

After all, everyone does have the right to see well.

I am so thankful there are people like Hania and Piotr making it happen.  Aren't you?

***

Side notes:

If you want to help sponsor this project, please contact:

Hania or Piotr Buczkowski at rodopsyna@o2.pl or

Brooke Nungesser at brooke@breadoflife.pl

www.breadoflife.pl

If you want to read about the story of Bartimaeus in the Bible, please go to the Gospel of Mark 10:46-52.

Read about Bartimaeus online

“I’m still alive. I’m still alive.”

 

Nearly 10 years ago, Richard and I left our very comfortable and happy lives in Arizona---backpacking on the weekends, teaching snowboarding, rolling kayaks in the swimming pool or white water kayaking in the rivers.  Four-wheeling and sleeping under the stars.  Rock climbing and enjoying the great Arizona desert.  Teaching and coaching at a school I loved and spending nearly every day with our families…

Ten years ago, our lives were grand.

Ten years later, our lives our different.

We have made friends.  But we have also made enemies.  We have spent our last dollar to help people with addictions---only for some to continue to drink.

I have been demoted from an educator with a name to simply a pronoun or impersonal reference, usually in the form of “This is Richard’s wife,” many not even asking my name.

We left blue skies and sunny weather to days where, during the winter, the sun only shines for 6 hours---biting wind and gray skies encompass 5 to 6 months a year. 

For me, it’s been difficult---yet easy.

How do I explain it?

Hopefully this man will help.  His name is Tadeusz. 

We met Tadeusz nearly 10 years ago.  He has and remains a very big alcoholic. 

Unfortunately, his life has not changed.

Yet, the other day when I was going to pick up Adelyne at a coffee shop (the meeting place), I saw Tadeusz sitting outside of the mall.  Alone.  Intoxicated. 

It quickly crossed my mind---just go in and get Adelyne.  You are in a hurry.

But I stopped. 

No one should ever be in such a hurry that they don’t take the time to love someone. 

And, so, I approached. 

“Czescz, Tadeusz!”  He immediately stood.  I extended my hand and he, in very traditional Polish style, kissed it.

We talked a bit---He asked about Adelyne, and I asked how he was doing. 

He said, “Jeszcze zyje. Jeszcze zyje.”  Which means, “I’m still alive.  I’m still alive.”

And then we departed with these words coming from Tadeusz, “Kiss Adelyne and greet Richard for me.”

And I did…

How do I explain giving up our beautiful families and lives in Arizona? 

I can’t.  But perhaps if we were in Arizona then Tadeusz may never have sensed love in Poland. 

And love is more important than comfort.  It’s more important than 4-wheeling.  It’s more important than people knowing your name. 

Love. 

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of thes

Publish Post

e is love.

1 Corinthians 13:13

Eradicate Loneliness!

We live in a world that wants to eradicate unholiness!  That is a GREAT thing, right?

I mean, really:

Eradicate poverty!

Eradicate AIDS!

Eradicate starvation!

Eradicate child pornography!

Eradicate homelessness!

Eradicate illiteracy!

Eradicate…(fill in the blank)!

It’s EXCELLENT!  After all, everything mentioned above is horrible.  Plain, simple, horrible!

So, your point is…?  (You’re asking me)

Bread of Life fights all of the above-mentioned plus more.  We, however, feel slightly different about the purpose.  That’s why our statement will remain, “Eradicate Loneliness!”

What makes your fight any different?

I wouldn’t say that our fight is different. 

Now I’m confused.  (You state)

Don’t be.

We can help fight poverty by providing greater opportunities for education, teaching job skills and creating work.  We know because we at Bread of Life do this.

We can help fight homelessness by providing transitional living where individuals are given opportunities to learn how to survive again in a competitive world while regaining living quarters (independent of the center) and full-time employment outside of the center.

My examples could continue…

And, all of the work we do is GREAT!

But, in the end, it’s just work…

The greatest thing we do is share with them about a God that loves…a God that cares!

And, if they choose to know him, then not only are their physical problems fought and conquered but their hearts also win! 

With God, we help eradicate loneliness!  

Man, that makes the fight worthwhile!

Campaign THEM:

Touching Hearts; Encouraging Many!

If I could steal an email from a friend===for a friend!

If you don't know the following family, let me preface this entry in this way...
The Banicki family lives in Gniezno, Poland.  Their first child, Michael, passed away a couple years ago from an extremely rare disease, Niemann Pick-Type C, at the tender age of 14.  Now, their 3rd child, Eliza, is fighting the same disease with great determination to live life to the fullest despite the circumstances surrounding the difficulties of her life.

In order for Eliza to live life to the fullest, her family has to fight for the one medicine that helps stop her seizures and slows her regression.  Each treatment is thousands of dollars.

If Eliza was your child, however, you would not hesitate to fight the same way.  If Adelyne was sick, I would give my very heart to make her well again if that is what was needed.  That's what you do for your children.  Yet, there are those out there that wonder, "Why do we fight at all?"

Dr. Piotr Zaremba addresses this.

Before we get to his letter, however, I would like to say that if you are stirred to help Save Eliza, you may go to www.intouchmission.org and then go to Projects/Poland/Banicki Family.  You can donate directly online today.  In fact, I'll even attach the link:  Eliza Banicki
If you are in Poland or other parts of the world, you, too, may give to Eliza.  Go to Bread of Life Fights for Eliza
These donation pages make it extremely easy to donate right away, online, without hesitation for God's precious child.

If you take a look at the picture below, you will notice a child full of strength and life---that is not the physical form of Eliza today---but the inner Eliza remains. 

And, now, if I may present the email that I stole from a friend---for a friend.  I pray that as you read these words, your heart will be stirred and you will remember that life is worth fighting for despite the glories of heaven!  O, death, where is your victory???

Beloved,

This time I warn you!

Please, read this email only while sitting.
I do not want you to fall down under the burden of impression
and hurt yourselves unnecessarily! (Joking).

A few weeks ago I shared with you about our need for the medicine for our Eliza Banicki, a girl suffering from the Niemann-Pick syndrome.

Now! Ready? We got 6 bottles of medicine free of charge! An equivalent of $70,000! Thus we have a provision for the next 18 weeks!

Thank you for your prayers!

Allow me now to add a short story.

A couple of days after I shared with you about our need for the medicine, somebody, in honest search for the reason, asked me:
-Peter, why are you so determined to keep this child alive at such a great expense?
-After all isn’t she saved? And if the heavens are so great, why do you struggle to keep her alive here?
-Do we have right to fight for one girl (saved anyway) if there is so much need around?

At first I did not know what to say.

I had to invite our Father to help me process these inspiring questions.
And I guess I have a piece of insight by now.

Just think for a moment, please: Why do we need sport? Our base ball or basket ball, or golf? Why do we need Olympic Games at all? Probably one tournament costs more than the medicine for all the Niemann-Pick Syndrome kids around the world!

Do we have right to compete in sport if there is so much need around?

Well, I think we do. We compete in sport not just for the sake of competition.
And we fight for Eliza not just for the sake of Eliza alone.

Fundamentally, our quest is for freedom.
Whenever we want to set ourselves free from the limitations caused by sickness,
whenever we want to break a new record, in doubt that the previous one was set once for all;
whenever we are determined to find out whether the impossible is truly impossible;
whenever we search unsearchable,
reach out to unreachable,
explain unexplainable,
or conquer the invincible,
we open the window for a freshening breeze of freedom
to which we were created by God,
and called in Christ.

Please, let us stand united,
reluctant to give up,
seeing no challenges too big,
until we will be able to say with our Savior:
"O death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?" (1Cor 15:55).

Yours, as ever --

Piotr

What's so special about YOU?

You know...We are special, right?  

I mean, after all, my mom tells me I'm special.  My dad tells me I'm special.  My husband tells me I'm special.  My daughter, Adelyne, tells me one million times a day that I'm special.  She has even said that if I am the only present Santa brings to her this Christmas season, she is okay with that.

In fact, on another occasion, she has said, "I want Mommy to do it because Mommy is special." 

My husband inquired, "If Mommy is special, what am I?"

She answered, "Handsome."

At least he left happy with her response.

But, let's even think about this a bit more...

What is it that makes me special?  What is it that makes you special?

We figure out what makes us special.  We take tests that tell us how we are special.  We apply for jobs and talk about our “assets” that are so uniquely special the interviewer should toss all other resumes and immediately call us for work! 

Yes.  Special, special, special!

I studied Special Education in college.  When I became a teacher and it was time for the awards ceremony at the end of the year, I realized that none of my students would ever receive a special award from the school based on the school’s criteria.  After all, the school demanded great grades, superb attendance, active participation in school functions/sports/clubs/so forth, wonderful behavior.  As the list went on and on and on I realized that not a single student of mine would meet any of that criteria.

Why?

Because---they were crack babies or FAS kids.  They suffered from brain damage or constant epileptic seizures.  They had such severe learning disabilities that they couldn’t even read or spell rat/cat/bat/fat in the 7^th grade.  Some smelled so badly, it was required they took showers upon entering school premises in the nurse’s office for their sakes.  And, to be honest, the behavior of many of them was more gangster than Dangerous Minds.

Yet, to me, each and every one was so extremely and uniquely special.  Don’t get me wrong.  Many afternoons when the school bell dismissed the swarm of teenagers, I sat behind my desk crying---amazed that I made it through another foul language-laced day filled with fights and security escorting students from my room.  There were even times I wondered if the student was going to or planning on harming me. 

And, still, each and every student remained special.  Somehow, in some way, I was able to look beyond what they had become to what they could potentially have in store.  In a sense, I felt as if I was the only one at times to think this way.

So, when the school ceremony came, I asked that I award my students, too.  The administration didn’t even blink.  Maybe they were growing accustomed to my varying ways.  And on that candle-filled night, I (with my other S.E. teacher) awarded 2 of our students with awards that we deemed worthy of them.

At the end of the evening, one mom came up to me crying.  Her daughter was often the source of frustration to so many and even more frequently forgotten or dismissed due to her very severe medical disability.  This award, however, showed her mom that someone cared.  Someone, besides her, cared about her daughter and also knew that her daughter could one day be or accomplish greatness in her own life.

The other parent, a single dad of two teenage daughters, just was…He just was.  Silent.  Strong.  Proud.  His daughter’s learning struggles were intense.  Yet someone recognized that she was a star and had potential and could become someone someday.  His lack of words spoke enough that no words were actually needed.

This…what I just wrote…this is how we at Bread of Life feel about each and every person we work with through our foundation.

It’s not even that we feel it.  It’s that we know it.  If we look beyond what they have become and instead look at what they can become, then their futures are so bright.  In fact, so bright that we all better wear shades!

CampaignTHEM never gives up.  We have an expression at Bread of Life, “Rescue Even One!”  The people we work with truly are special-it’s just no one ever took the time to tell them, to discover it or to honor them for their lives.

Now, isn’t that sad?  I think so, too.

What makes you special???  Perhaps it’s your willingness to help someone else realize they are special, too.

CampaignTHEM…Touching Hearts; Encouraging Many.

  

A World War II Old, Smelly Army Barrack is Home?

Do you know the expression, "Home is where the heart is"?  Well, can you imagine an old, army barrack as your home?  

No?

I can't either. 

Physically, no one lives there.  

What is it then?

It is Bread of Life Poznan's headquarters.

What's there?

Oh, many, many, many wonderful things:

There is a clothing closet for men and women!

There is a clothing closet for children!

There is a room for mass food distribution!

There is a room for computer classes!

There is a room for a widely successful children's program!

There is room for alcohol, drug addiction and family counseling!

Sounds great...What else?

There is a main room used for soup kitchens for homeless, elderly, poor and meals for children!

And there are the many offices of the many wonderful Bread of Life workers that keep all of these things going!

Well, that sounds really great---but---why did you say, "Home is where the heart is"?  

Because!  This army barrack is where many hearts are.  Many children.  Many women.  Many men.  Many homeless  Many, many, many elderly...They come to this old, dingy barrack and don't see the exterior---they see the hearts of the people on the interior!  They see the love that resides there.

While the barracks is not a physical place of residence---it is a heart-place of home for oh so many!

When you support Bread of Life, you make an army barrack a home!

CampaignTHEM today!

www.breadoflife.pl

Children are the Future but the Adults are the Now!

At Bread of Life we have a saying that goes like this, "The children are the future but the adults are the now!"

Why do we say this?

If you help the adults of the NOW, you give the children a better future!

CampaignTHEM:  Touching Hearts; Encouraging Many

Working for everyone’s now and future!