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A Times Editorial
© St. Petersburg Times, published December 19, 2001
With war and terrorism dampening the spirit of this holiday season, there was some good news out of El Salvador last week: A few Americans are quietly making a difference in a small impoverished country and receiving the gratitude they deserve. A member of El Salvador's legislative assembly has nominated a group of Tampa Bay area doctors and nurses for the Nobel Peace Prize in recognition of their work in Central America.
Some 60,000 Salvadorans have been treated by Mission of Mercy since it first went to the country in 1993. Volunteers work in far-away corners of severe poverty. They remove malignant tumors, give sight to the blind, help paralyzed people gain mobility. Harold Haftel of Tarpon Springs summed it up: "You are in a position to help, so you help."
Mission of Mercy's impact on so many individual lives dwarfs the honor of any prize. Being nominated by El Salvador, however, is a timely act of appreciation for American generosity and leadership. It is a privilege to call these heroes our neighbors in Tampa Bay. The next time Mission of Mercy comes around, looking for donations, eyeglasses or clothes, consider the thousands who depend on them for life-saving medical treatment.