Eye-Care Update
This is an Extended Eye-Care Program status update for anyone who has participated in, or given support to, the Alabama Honduras Medical Educational Network. So far this year, teams have held successful clinics in Belaire, Limon, Utila and Yorito. Our adoption of the computerized inventory management and retrieval system developed by Holland Kendall of Kendall Optometry Ministry, Inc. (http://kendall-optometry-ministry.com/kendall-optometry/ ), has dramatically improved the scope and quality of the eye-care that we are now capable of dispensing. Within the AHMEN organizations, over two dozen members have gone to Louisville to become trained in the KOM system.

Mary and I will be joining Tom Camp’s September team for another round of eye glass clinics in Cusuna and Pueblo Nuevo. Of course the primary objective of our participation on this team is to provide eye glasses in an area that remains underserved. But a secondary objective will be to train the niece of Jesus Cacho to test near vision acuity and fit near vision glasses. If this is successful, Jesus will set her niece up in business to dispense reading glasses to people all along the Northern Coast and in the area on the edge of the Moskitia. Empowering the local people to provide service for themselves helps break their dependency on others and insures the sustainability of our efforts.

While we are in Honduras we will be hosting Dr. Young Choi, Head of Charitable Services, and Dr. Jeff Machat, CEO, from Crystal Clear Vision, Inc (http://www.crystalclearvision.com/ ). As the result of initial contacts made by Joe Jones, of the Discovery UMC and Helena UMC teams, AHMEN’s Extended Eye-Care Program has recently entered into partnership with CCV to identify and establish a permanent surgical site for eye surgeries for indigent people somewhere within Latin America. During this trip, we will introduce Drs. Choi and Machat to AHMEN’s general area of coverage and will visit clinics and hospitals from La Ceiba to Palacios that might be used as an initial facility until a more permanent location can be determined. 

Gregg Rushton, head of Team Belarie, is in the process of raising funds and securing a 12 foot tag-behind trailer for use by AHMEN Eye-Care teams. The trailer will be fitted with shelving customized to hold the 3880 pairs of prescription glasses that we now maintain in our mobile inventory. It will also carry a generator with sufficient capacity to power all of the computers, lights and fans that are used in the eye-glass clinics. One or more “pop-up” canopies will also go into the trailer, along with all the tables, chairs and other furniture items that are necessary to support the clinic. Our vision is to have a truly mobile and self contained clinic such that someday soon we will be able to drive up to a site, drop the rear gate and within a brief period have a fully operational clinic receiving patients.

Much is happening. And much is to be done. Thanks in part to the support of the wonderful people who participate in our Eye-Care teams and in part to those who donate supplies and monies; we are able to substantially impact the lives of so many others. But our goal is and always will be to demonstrate the love of Christ to all who witness our efforts. God’s mighty hand has been on this ministry. Praise Him for all that He has done.