Diabetic Retinopathy

This week LDS Charities is hosting four seminars about diabetic retinopathy (blindness caused by diabetes) in Jordan.  Local internists and opthomologists have been invited to lectures given by LDS Charities vision specialists who have come from Utah (Bob and Shannon Christiansen) and Colorado (Rob and Robin Slover).

The first seminar was held right here in Al Husn on Sunday (not the Sabbath).  Over 50 doctors from northern Jordan attended.  We thought it went very well, even though we didn't have much of a clue what they were talking about.

The facility we reserved for the seminar is mainly used for wedding receptions.  We couldn't resist having our picture taken in the "love seat" located at one end of the room.

The director of the medical center in Ramtha attended the meeting with his daughter and son.  We had a wonderful conversation at dinner with them using SwaySway (very little) Arabic and Sway Sway (very little) English.  We learned that he came from a polygamist family and has 24 brothers and sisters.   We told him that's a lot of people to feed!!  Everybody laughed.  We really love the Jordanians.

These two guys manage the facility where we had the lecture and dinner.  We've been working with them on the arrangements for the past two months.  Sometimes we felt like our heads were going to explode, trying to negotiate and understand the way they do business, but in the end we were all friends.  They did a good job.  After the event they waited in line for their turn for the kiss kiss on both cheeks that everyone does here.

We can't tell people what we believe, but we can surely be ambassadors for good.