Just wanted to share a neat experience
that I presently am a part of. And a request or consideration for
Christmas giving. It is a neat story, so be patient as I share
the details.
Over a year ago, I had a random dream--just out
of the blue, about my dentist and the workers at his office. It
seemed like we were in Germany or Ukraine, but there was a large
facility, and a huge line of people waiting in line to get dental
help. I looked in on the dentists and their assistants, and
they seemed to be very unorganized, and not much was getting done
while these people waited. I woke up wondering why I would
dream something like this, so randomly. I felt impressed that
maybe I was supposed to help organized some humanitarian service or
something. I know nothing of dental work. The dream was
so impressive that I wrote it down, and forgot about it until my next
dental appointment.
At my dental appointment, my dentist was
talking of something that triggered the memory of this dream, so I
shared it with him, and he said, "oh my, I take a trip to
Guatemala each year to do a service mission for the people there, but
we decided that we should do a service day for people around us as
well, so this Saturday, we will do a service day, and you need to
come help us. It is totally unorganized." I panicked
and tried to get out of it, but he insisted. So, I went and had
a good time.
Shortly after the dental service day, I ended up
doing a random boutique for Scentsy at a Trailer park, just west of of my town.
It was the most random boutique, but the most incredible feeling of
friendship with some of the people there. At this boutique I
met the most darling gal, who I will call Tina, to protect her identity. She was the one who placed the KSL add for the
boutique. She was so darling, but when she smiled, her teeth
were pretty much rotted out in front. It broke my heart, and I
wished more than ever that I might be able to help fix her teeth.
Anyway, life moves on, and I kind of forgot about Tina, until I
just went to my dental appointment a few weeks ago.
I walked
into the dental office, and everyone is calling me by name, and how
are you doing, and then someone informed me that they were planning
their next service day. And the dentist shared my dream with
everyone in the office. So, now I am somewhat of a dream
celebrity, haha. So, the dentist tells me that I need to
participate again in their service day, and immediately I start
thinking of Tina. He tells me that they are having people
nominate recipients of the free dental work on this day. So, I
told him about this Tina, and he said for sure, send them an
email.
So, I go about trying to figure out how to get a hold
of Tina who I barely know and have met a year ago. I new she
was friends with a gal that I did a
Scentsy party for, so I tried
calling her, and both of her phone numbers were disconnected. I almost gave up, not knowing how to get a hold of her. So,
a few days later I was returning from a temple trip, and the
dental office calls me and tells me the dentist has held a spot for
my girl. I panicked not knowing how to get a hold of her.
But when I went home, I went to a book that has a few
contacts in it , and there was a sticky note with her name that was
written from the KSL add that she had placed for her boutique. I was shocked to find her
information. I contacted her, and she was in such shock that I
would remember her, and want to be part of such a service. It
was such an amazing feeling to make that call.
Today, I
attended her dental appointment with her. I held her hand
through the trauma of getting shots, and having 4 broken and absessed
teeth pulled out. It was overwhelming, but an incredible
experience for me to be with her. The dentist diagnosed that
they would focus mainly on her top teeth, as her bottom teeth are in
pretty amazing condition considering what her top teeth look like.
ON her treatment plan, they have plans for 5 route canals with
crowns, and a bridge for new teeth in the front. The cost of
this treatment comes to $6820, most of which will be paid to a lab
for the bridge. The dentist is able to contribute 50% of the
cost of this dental work, and has invited Tina and her husband to
work and try to contribute $1,000 so they feel ownership and a need
to take care of her teeth. He has invited me to talk with her Relief Society President, and others to fund raise to help her get
her get this dental work done and to be able to smile again.
So, I have contacted the high school to see if she might be
considered for a recipient of their Christmas fundraiser, and I will
put this out to my family and extended family. I know Christmas
is such a financially tight time for most. For years, I have
wanted to have experiences that would help me feel the true meaning
of Christmas, and right now I am overwhelmed with being given this
opportunity to make a difference for someone in need. So,
if you are interested in contributing to Tina's dental
restoration, please do so by sending me an email and I will let you know how this might be done. I will be attending each of her
appointments and encouraging her through this process. Today
was pretty overwhelming to her and frightening, but she was still so grateful to the point of shedding many tears. What a neat
experience.
Just a tiny background on Tina. She is 32 years
old, mother of 2. She is beautiful, but never smiles fully due
to exposing her teeth. She was raised in Arizona, sounds like
not in the best of situations. Financially, her parents
couldn't afford dental work for her. Eventually, she was placed
in a foster home, and received a little dental work. She
married, and her husband works for the oil fields, and is a hunter.
She actually shot a buck last week. Her husband's employment is
slow throughout the winter, and at present is not working, due to the
slow season in the oil fields. The condition of her teeth is
due to heavy soda pop drinking. The dentist, said that Pepsi, Mountain Dew, some of those type of drinks have the same type of acid
that meth has, and you often see the same results. I will
attach a photo of her teeth that was taken today. It is so
heartbreaking, and overwhelming.
The reason I share
this full story with you, is to share the randomness of this
situation. The timing of each event that has occurred in the
past year. It is so incredibly beyond my imagination as to how
God, connects people in different situations to show that he cares
about his children and loves them. In the past few days I have
felt overwhelmingly inspired that Tina has a great purpose on this
earth, but she cannot achieve this purpose with out a beautiful
smile. I wish I could accurately convey the incredible feelings
in my heart that have come through this experience.
Thanks for
reading, and thanks for joining me in making a difference for
Tina.
Marilyn
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