Dear Friends and Supporters,

We have been in Zimbabwe for a week now, and have been busy since arriving from the US. Steve has been teaching surgical techniques at the Richard Morris Eye Hospital, and today he will be working on a gentleman who has a large skin cancer invading the whole lower lid. This will require a procedure to remove the whole lid and reconstruct it using a sliding flap from his face, so it will be a difficult several hours as he teaches this to one of the doctors at the hospital. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers on this.

The day before yesterday we travelled out almost 4 hours to conduct an eye camp at a rural school. The road was very bad, and it was almost noon when we arrived. There was a crowd of almost 100 people patiently waiting for us in the hot sun, and we set up our instruments and glasses in one of the classrooms. Of course, the school teachers came first to be examined, followed by the men before the women (as is the culture). However, we were able to see and treat over 100 people, and there was rejoicing as many were able to see with their ‘new’ glasses. The Word was preached and a number also responded to the Good News. The drive back was definitely easier as we ate our lunch at 6 pm and felt the joy at having given hope to many who came to see us.

Our dear friend, John Illges, has been helping us and also has been providing advice and input to several faith-based organizations here on their accounting and financial matters. The other day, he was riding back with a friend of ours to where we are staying, and the head of a cobra snake popped up over the hood of the car. Our friend who was driving started screaming, and several cars that were coming towards them turned down the street where they stopped. A crowd gathered while they used sticks to open the hood and chased the 6 foot cobra out on to the road. While several men attempted to beat it with sticks, it slithered quickly into long grass at the side of the road, escaping to hitch a ride another day…. well, surprises happen in Africa every day!

Thank you for your prayers as we continue the work here, and bring hope and joy to many who need it. We will continue to bring news of our work here, and appreciate the privilege of using our skills and talents to help the people of Zimbabwe.

Steve and Jane Beaty