Dear Friends and Supporters,

We continue to serve here in Zimbabwe, using our gifts and skills as God opens doors for us. Last week Steve lectured 4 hours to the senior medical students about clinical issues in eye care. He also gave a practical experience to the students letting them use his equipment to examine each others’ optic nerves and retinas. None of the students had ever seen the back of the eye, and were thrilled to actually see inside the window of the body where we diagnose many local and systemic diseases.

Steve has continued his work with Dr’s Moyo and Malemane. He began to teach them advanced cataract surgical techniques two years ago. During this visit, Steve sitting in the operating theater as they worked, he was not called upon to ‘rescue’ them during their surgical cases. These two have now mastered their skills, and are proficient in these surgical techniques that they have been working on for two years. They are now teaching several other doctors, and the skills are being passed along to another generation of training eye doctors here.

We were able to lead our first rural eye camp last Saturday. The authorities have loosened up the COVID rules governing gatherings, and we were able to obtain permission from the Ministry of Health to have the eye camp (along the very worst road that I have ever travelled along in this country). Dr. Moyo accompanied me and was a great help as we both saw patients together. Jane ran the eye camp with a missionary friend, Ramona Beam, and teams from two churches ministered to the people who came. The gospel was preached, and many heard the love of God expressed in a very clear way. We were able to examine about 75 patients, and many were given glasses and medications. Several needed surgical care, and we made arrangements for them to receive care at a surgical eye camp to be conducted in the near future.

We have another eye camp scheduled for tomorrow at the Bulawayo Baptist Church. Many have been waiting for over a year to have their eye difficulties checked and managed. It is always a joy to give someone their first pair of glasses, or to discover an eye ailment that can be treated and cured. We continue to enjoy the work and ministry that we have been so blessed by, caring for so many who have such great need.

Thank you for your continued prayers for us. Be blessed.

Steve and Jane Beaty