EARS TO HEAR

My grandmother Colleen wears hearing aids.  She went for a check up last year and told her audiologist that I was going to El Salvador for a year.  Sheryl Figliano, her audiologist, is also a member of the Boardman Rotary Club and had the great idea to join efforts with the children's home with whom I was volunteering.  In January of 2011, a team of rotarians including Sheryl and her husband visited Los Planes de Renderos, El Salvador to help at Love & Hope Children's Home.  During the visit Sheryl was able to check for hearing loss in a nearby community.  Her husband Fortunato and assistant Liz Shoebel helped to test and identify the people who would need hearing aids.  Antonia and Pablo were identified with significant hearing loss.  They were able to create a mold and attach hearing aids to them that same day.  It was very emotional watching their reactions to being able to hear better.  Pablo hadn't been able to hear for 14 years and praised God while he waited for the molds to dry.  On a recent trip back home to the states Sheryl gave me the permanent ear pieces she had ordered for Antonia and Pablo to replace the temporary molds.  This past week I was able to visit them and change out the molds.  It's great to see how grateful and joyful they are to have ears to hear!