Sorry! In the excitement of being there, I forgot to take photos. Oops.

I visited the Foundation for Blind Children (FBC) in Phoenix, Arizona this past Tuesday (Feb 8). It is a school with approximately 100 students between the ages of 3 and 5 years-old. The students learn the necessary skills to prepare them for the regular school system once they start kindergarten. The foundation continues to support them by providing special in-class assistants and all the resources needed to learn (eg, converting textbooks into braille).

As I toured the facility with one of the staff members, a huge collie with her trainer and a handful of students walked by. Three of the kids scanned the ground in front of them with white canes as they passed while the others trailed along using what vision they had. The group headed towards a classroom for "dog therapy." It was a special day with the collie, who was brought in to work with the kids to develop their touch sensory. Who could resist an adorable collie?

We peeked into a couple of classrooms to observe the learning process. Most classes were small with about six to eight students with almost as many teachers or teacher's assistants.

What impressed me most were the people who work around these children. It takes a certain character to devote the love and care to ensure the best well-being for these children.

Christi and I are looking forward to visiting schools for the blind as we ride along the Americas. We are currently in the process of sending out letters to the various schools in Chile. We want to thank Benning Tieke for providing Spanish translations for the Media Brochure and the cover letter that will be sent to the schools. Gracias, Sr. Benning!