Dear friends and supporters;

Another very busy week has gone by. Two Australian eye nurses from the Perth Eye Hospital arrived on Saturday to spend 3 weeks with us as we teach, consult and prepare to start the new surgical retina training service.

One of the nurses actually works in surgery where retina procedures are performed. She sets up the equipment and supplies for the cases, and scrubs in with the doctors. Her knowledge is going to be so valuable as we begin surgical cases, and she will teach local nurses in the setting up, handling and care of the instruments and very fragile and sensitive equipment that will be used.

The other nurse leads sessions on operating room efficiency, doctor/nurse and healthcare worker/patient relationships. She gave a lecture to 40 doctors and nurses this week on mistakes make in medicine because of friction and disharmony between doctors and nurses. She also touched on the topic of teamwork in medicine to raise the standards of medical care, and she was very well received with positive feedback from many who attended.

Our team, including six members of the Bulawayo Baptist Church, drove out on a horrendous road to conduct an eye camp in a very rural area. The school that we held it was an old run down house, and the school children had signs of poor nutrition and growth. We saw about 130 patients, the people had the Good News shared and many came for prayer and counseling. So many expressed gratitude and thanks for what we did for them. A new church plant was begun this weekend with over 100 people attending worship services.

Lastly, we finally received our second shipment yesterday containing the retina surgery microscope. Space doesn’t permit us to share the whole story of its arrival, but we thank the Father for His hand in bringing it safely to us. We will set up the retina operating room in preparation for the arrival next week of Dr. Matthew West, the first retina trainer of our program.

Thank you again for uplifting us in prayer as we continue to bring relief and joy to many who we encounter and assist in their eye care and spiritual needs.

Steve and Jane Beaty