Monday clinic in Corozal

We had our eye clinic in a building that is used to minister to single moms. We saw 67 patients today and gave out an incredible 44 pairs of prescription glasses.  It has been a long time since we gave out that many glasses in a single day but we saw so many people who had more vision problems than we usually see in one day.  There were several who we tested that our autorefractor could not find any glasses that would work for them.  That was sad for us but they still left with a smile on their face because we tried to help them.

Jayne told us this weekend about one of the men we saw Saturday.  We were able to help him with his vision so that he could read his Bible.  When he went to the evangelism station, he received a Bible from us.  Later as we were leaving, she saw him out by a house and he was apparently reading his Bible to some other people who might have been some of his family.  She got very excited about that and knew that we were able to change his life at least in a small way.

I have had a hard time getting the information about how many are getting saved each day. I know that some have been from what I heard. That is what this trip is all about - seeing the lost saved and then giving them a Bible.  Thank you to New Temple Baptist for paying for the Bibles we give out.

Below is some pictures for today. I didn't take but just a few because it was such a busy day.

Eli working with Jefferson at the autorefractor

One little girl who got her first pair of glasses

Jefferson trying to look busy. He was our runner today retrieving glasses from the trailer.

Karen and Breysi helping with the post test station and autorefractor

Paul just gave this lady her glasses and she was so excited that she could see so well.

 

 

Saturday clinic in El Cacao

We had a clinic today at El Cacao which is a very remote area. We did our clinic in an outside open air church. I have included a picture of it below along with a number of other pictures.  I loved the clinic today and we had plenty of extra help.  Several people who live in Honduras have helped us with interpreting and also working some of the stations themselves.  They picked up on how to test far vision very well. 

We had an older gentleman who had a hard time walking into the clinic. His vision was 20/200 and we found some glasses that would work for him. We got him down to 20/50 with bifocals.  He was so excited that he asked if he could have more glasses.  We love being able to help people have better vision for their daily lives and then we can give them a Bible in evangelism. We also give out the plan of salvation cards with eye care on one side and plan of salvation on the other side.  This is the whole purpose in our mission trips – sharing the love of God with these people. I think I have asked this before but please pray that those cards will be multiplied meaning that as the people take the cards home, they might share them with a family member or a friend and then they would read them and pray and then pass them forward to others.

 Our team has talked this week about the story of Peter stepping out of the boat. I shared this on Facebook.  I talked about that this week when I was afraid of getting into the boat on the island of Roatan when we had to travel up the water way (called the Oak Ridge Bight) in order to go to church on Sunday and Wednesday night.  I really didn’t want to do that because that is one of only a couple of things I am afraid of. Nothing else really scares me but I told everyone that I was having a hard time stepping into the boat and shared that Peter wanted to step out of the boat but took his eyes off Jesus and began to sink. I said that I would keep my eyes on Jesus and I would get into that boat.  I did just that and now I can get into boats at night.  I knew my problem was faith. I took my eyes off Jesus and my fear grew.  Now I know I have to focus on my Savior who died for me and I can handle anything that comes my way.  That is what we should all focus on when problems or other situations come at us and we feel that we can’t deal with this alone.  We are never alone when we have given our hearts to Him and we trust in Him to carry us through every storm in life.  I love the song “Praise You In This Storm”.  I know He will lift me up and carry me through anything the enemy throws at me as long as I trust in Him and praise Him through everything.

Bucket being his very happy self as always

Very satisfied customer

Another happy patient

Our inventory trailer

This is the church where we did our clinic today

 Well enough for today. Check back tomorrow for more pictures and stories. Thank you for all your prayers for our team and the people of Honduras.

Pictures of the clinic on Roatan for week 1

Wil working triage with a patient

Far vision station

Most important station - evangelism

House behind the church where we were working

Some of the team working in the feeding kitchen for the children - Rebecca's Table

Some of the work done by the team in Rebecca's Table

More triage

Autorefractor station - checking a patient's vision for the right prescription

Hamp working at post test station - testing the glasses that might work for this patient

 

 

Thursday clinic on Roatan

We had a good clinic day and finished about 1:00 and we managed to get all the glasses packed and ready to take back to the mainland tomorrow morning around 5:00a.m. on the ferry.  We had so many people come to each of us and give us a hug and thanked us for helping the people of Roatan with their vision and for sharing God's word with them.  That's what this is all about. Loved that.

We don't have very good internet service so I can't upload pictures at this time. Hopefully I can upload tomorrow when we get back to La Ceiba on the mainland.  Check back then.

Tuesday and Wednesday clinic on Roatan

Tuesday eye clinic.

We saw a total of 85 patients today in the eye clinic and gave out 27 prescription glasses.  Some of our team worked upstairs in the feeding kitchen to do some painting and construction.  Bucket decided he would work in evangelism station today.  We heard him getting really fired up for Jesus when he was sharing and praying with the people who came through the clinic. He said one young man prayed to receive Jesus into his heart and another young man rededicated himself to the Lord. Awesome day.

 

Wednesday eye clinic.

We saw a total of 75 patients today and gave out 33 prescription glasses. The feeding kitchen fed the children in the neighborhood while some of the team finished up painting the feeding kitchen area.  Will saw some young men that he met here several years ago.  They came through the clinic and we were able to give them some glasses. He also had a chance to go visit them at their home. 

Our wifi is very sporadic so I have had a hard time getting online and also I can't upload any pictures at this time.  I hope to upload when we get back to La Ceiba Friday. 

Monday clinic on Roatan

We had our first day of clinics today on Roatan. We have seen a total of 72 patients and gave out only 17 prescription glasses.  Many of the people who came through the clinic are members of the church we are working in. When they went to evangelism station, they stated that they are Christians and attend this church regularly. There were a few who said they wanted to rededicate their lives to Jesus because they had walked away from that relationship with Him and wanted to make a new commitment.

 

The Florence team that we are working with had a feeding kitchen upstairs which fed 250 children. The children came after school at noon. They sang songs and blessed the food.  Their meal consisted of chicken and rice and frozen kool ade drink.

 

Tomorrow’s activities in the feeding kitchen will consist of painting and construction. Pray that the food will continue to nourish the children. The name for the feeding kitchen is Rebecca’s Table. They do the feeding kitchen two to three times per week serving a hot meal to each child. The funds are provided by First United Methodist Church in Florence, Alabama.  This is the tenth year in operation for the feeding kitchen.

 

Today was a very productive day even though we had to set up the clinic this morning instead of last night but everything worked out great. Can’t wait to see what tomorrow will bring.

 

Mission trip 2017

Saturday, the team went to the bodega to get all the eyeglasses out of the trailer and packed into the duffle bags along with all our supplies and the Bibles we will give out.

Today the team had an amazing opportunity to worship God in a local church - lots of singing and praising God. Bucket preached and was really fired up and excited to share what God is doing in his life and with the team.  We spent part of the afternoon talking about what we will do the rest of the week in the eye clinic. We will have another worship time tonight at another church.

I will be sharing tomorrow about what God is using us to do in the clinics to help the people with their vision problems and sharing the love of Jesus with these people.  Please continue to pray for many to come to know the Lord. Thank you to all our prayer warrior/rope holders for all you do to help the team with your prayers and continued support.