August 10, 2024

Dear Friends of Eyecare To The Needy;

It’s so good to write and tell you more that has happened with our work and ministry these last 2 weeks here in Zimbabwe.

Since we last communicated with you, we have conducted 3 eye camps. From these eye camps, we have seen 550 patients and Jane has distributed around 450 pairs of glasses. Steve was also involved in a surgical eye camp led by his colleagues here at the Richard Morris Eye Hospital. They logged a total of over 300 cataract surgical procedures, thus restoring eyesight to many who were blind.

One particular lady who lives far south of the city in a region called the Matopos was found by a church community group in her area. She lived with her two little great grandchildren. The parents departed from the country to find work and had left the two little children with her to be cared for. The problem, however, was that she was blind in both eyes. The children would walk up to 3 miles to collect water in small containers several times a day to fulfill their needs. When the community church group found them, they had not eaten in several days and had run out of water. We were notified of her condition and friends brought her to Bulawayo to the eye camp at our local church. We diagnosed bilateral cataracts, sent her to the hospital where the surgical eye camp was taking place, and she had surgery that same day. The next day she returned to her village with renewed eyesight, and we were informed by her community group that she had thrown her cane away…. What a reason to rejoice for someone who was blind, and now can see! We thank God for the privilege of being involved in this wonderful change in a lady who had no hope otherwise!

Steve has also performed several plastic surgical procedures and has used these to teach and instruct his local colleagues in this arena. We continue to also see the expansion of skills in cataract surgery here with more ophthalmologists being trained in advanced techniques.

We have also seen how in our contacts with patients and others who we encounter, our witness of the Good News has borne results in changed lives. We continue to disciple young men in a weekly Bible study. Our prayer is that many more will come to faith and will be discipled in their walk with the Lord.

Thank you again for your prayers for us as we continue in ministry here for a few more weeks.

Steve and Jane Beaty