Dear Friends of Eye Care To The Needy,

It is amazing to think our time of 2 months here is quickly disappearing and we will soon head back to the states. This blog is a bit longer because of so many “firsts” we want to share! We trust you will enjoy and be blessed by them.

Once again, we ventured to a new place of ministry at the Mpisini Clinic where Steve saw many patients and we distributed lots of eyeglasses, bringing smiles of joy to their faces. I must tell you about the road to this clinic. It was not a proper road, although it was only 26 km from one of the main roads. Our trek took over an hour, traveling up and down rocky paths, through a couple of old gold mines and various rural home site areas, until we finally reached the clinic. We truly felt God used us here to help bring physical and spiritual eyesight to this community.

Steve continues to consult and perform eye surgeries at Mater Dei Catholic Hospital. He has also given several lectures to the medical students as well as local general doctors, and has been teaching in the clinic and while in surgery to mentor the ophthalmic residents at the government eye hospital. His role has also increased in teaching at the Pediatric eye hospital in Bulawayo.

We were asked by a young medical doctor here in Bulawayo to lead a young married fellowship on Sunday evenings discussing marriage and raising children. It has been rewarding for us to have 10-12 couples in our home for a meal and to open God’s word and discuss family values.

Last week, we traveled about 4 hours from Bulawayo to an area called the Hwange district. We performed 2 non-surgical eye camps in 2 different clinics and 1 surgical eye camp in Hwange town.

It was a “first” for me (Jane), that after 19 years of washing, sterilizing, and circulating in the surgery area while Steve operated, I was promoted to the role of “surgical nurse.” The morning we arrived at the Hwange hospital to perform the surgery, Steve was informed there was no eye nurse available. So, Steve asked me to assist. It was amazing how my old PT skills training in sterile techniques kicked in and I stood for 12-13 hours, even correctly handing him the required instruments.  It was a long but fruitful day, witnessing many smiling and rejoicing patients the following morning. One male patient was blind with bilateral cataracts and almost deaf. When Steve removed his patch and he saw his wife, he began smiling, took Steve’s hand, and kept shaking it saying, “I see you.”

Another first for me (Jane) was spending 3 nights camping in Hwange National Park. A small broken fence surrounded the campsite with a shower and one faucet for cold water and an open fire for cooking. What a wonderful time to be away from cell phones and Internet and enjoy God’s creation. At night, we could hear the elephants about 50 yards away drinking from a watering hole and we even heard the magnificent roar of lions nightly. Thankfully, they never ventured into camp. We saw amazing animals such as roan antelope, giraffe, sable, zebra, warthog, kudu, impala, buffalo, lots of elephants and even 4 lions.

These next 2 weeks, we will continue our ministry here in Bulawayo as Steve continues his involvement in consultation and surgery, teaching medical students and residents.

We hope to send out one more blog in 2 weeks as we conclude and head back to GA on September 12. We value and so appreciate your love, support and prayer as we continue to serve the people in the Matabeleland area in Zimbabwe.

Blessings to each of you,

Steve and Jane Beaty

Eyecare to the Needy