Dear Friends and Supporters,

As we prepare to depart again for Zimbabwe we ask you again to remember us in your thoughts and prayers. We have a number of ministries planned, but we also face new and unknown challenges during this upcoming chapter of our lives in Zimbabwe. The country of Zimbabwe is presently experiencing great difficulties and hardship with strict laws that were recently passed in finance and currency controls. This has resulted in severe shortages of fuel and food, and inflation has crippled the economy.  There are also frequent power outages and water shortages because of a severe drought that has afflicted the country. 

Even though these difficulties await us, we are excited and ready to continue the work that awaits us, and to use our talents and gifts to help as many as we can, making an impact for the Kingdom in the lives of those who will receive the care that we will provide. Our schedule is going to be full again with teaching and eye camps planned.  We have 6 eye camps scheduled, both in the city of Bulawayo and in the rural areas of southern Zimbabwe. Steve will continue the teaching program in surgery and patient management at the Richard Morris Eye Hospital. He will also be lecturing to medical students and the faculty of Medicine at NUST Medical School in Bulawayo, and will be consulting at The Mater Dei Catholic Hospital. We will attend the Zimbabwe Ophthalmic Congress where Steve will give a talk on HIV and the eye in developing countries. We will also have the opportunity to interact with the Ophthalmic community of Zimbabwe, and develop new friendships and contacts there. 

So, we are expectant to both the challenges and also the opportunities for service and ministry on this trip in our 20^th year of work in Zimbabwe. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers for us. We will send updates throughout our stay so that you will be kept informed of the great things that will be happening in our time there. 

Sincerely,

Steve and Jane Beaty