Why we do what we do...

This is a note from a Project Smiles patient last year. This is why we do what we do.

I just wanted to take just a moment and personally thank you for giving me my new smile. I want to make sure that you understand just how much it has meant to me. When I was a young child, I was always made fun of by others because of all the spaces in between my teeth. At one point during middle school, I was taken to the orthodontist after a dentist recommended that I get braces. My mother is disabled and supported us as best as she could, but we were on state welfare. I was assessed for braces, and they told me that I would have to get two false teeth because I was missing teeth. They also told me that you would always know that they weren't real because of the coloring. Then they told us a figure that they wanted as a down payment, as well as the total price for the work done. I walked into that office with the hope that I could possibly smile and talk without being made fun of. But wen I walked out of that office, I knew that it wouldn't be possible for my family to afford that much money. So I adapted to the comments that people made and figured that one day, it would eventually subside. I grew up feeling very self-conscious about my teeth and never smiled. I hated taking pictures with anyone, family or not. Even you were able to experience some of this. Then when I came into your office and was given a blessing that I didn't feel I deserved, it was an opportunity that I couldn't pass. I was not only given braces, I was given confidence in my smile and myself. But I didn't receive just a new smile...before I walked into your office, I was very afraid of men. Dr. Kemp, the way you spoke to me and the things you did for me made such a difference in my opinion. I began the process of learning that man is good and there are good, caring, loving people in the world. Each time I came into your office, I received a little healing of the hurt that had taken 20 plus years to gain. All of you treated me as if I was worthy of care, love, and respect. You spoke to me with such kindness and compassion that a lot of times I left your office overwhelmed with why God was allowing me to have such a thing. You did all of this and didn't ask of anything in return, which was very different than what I had learned. I am forever grateful for what you have done for me. I am happier now. I smile with confidence. I have self-confidence, and I know that there are caring people in this world that love me and don't even know anything about me. The process I have gone through since the work was done on my teeth has been a long one, but every day was well worth it. I've struggled with an eating disorder for 10 years as well as a very negative self-image. I've never liked anything about my body because of all the negative things I'd been told and that I'd seen when I looked at myself. Looking at myself now, I see the smile that was the start of my turnaround. The day I came back to the home after getting the temporaries in, I ran upstairs and told my counselor, "There is something about my body I can actually like now. I think that this is the start of my seeing myself like God wants me to see." I am able to look at myself and say "I have a beautiful smile." This whole process has enabled me to see myself through God's eyes and not my own or the world's. Thank you for all you've contributed to my complete transformation and freedom. My hope has been restored, as well as my joy. Thank you for being God's tools to show me what he'd been attempting to show me for years upon years, and yet, I had been so blinded. There are no words that can express how thankful I am to you all.