For 6 weeks, Pan de Vida hosted teams and Ira worked with them on various projects. During that time I went for 2 weeks to Aguascalientes to join a Samaritan's Purse team and do the eye clinics aspect.
I have documented my journey, in early posts on this blog, of how God has taken experience as an Optician and turned it into a ministry on the mission field. Over the last 5 years, God has blessed me by allowing me to do these trips with different teams and individuals from all over North America and we then meet the host country partners and build relationships with them as well.
The eye clinic is a very cost effective ministry. The glasses are donated by millions of individuals. Most of what we use, goes through the Lion's Club. The glasses are then sent to a men's prison where a group of men have come to know Christ as their Saviour, but due to the consequence of their sin, they are in prison. However, the instruments necessary to read the prescriptions have been provided to them so they too can have a ministry. They evaluate the glasses and package them accordingly and the glasses are then sent to a warehouse. When Samaritan's Purse prepares for a trip, they obtain the stock necessary from this process.
The eye clinics are a basic means for the mission. We partner with local Pastors and ask them to arrange them in poor or secluded areas. Our prayer is that God will work through the clinics to reach the people and build realtionships with the partner and eventually plant churches and help the people grow spiritually into a relationship with Jesus Christ.
One of the areas of this trip was to a place where the locals make bricks for a living. They are a very humble community. They do not believe in birth control so it was not uncommon to see every 15 year old pregnant and 16 year olds with their 2nd child. The people work very hard and in bad conditions for very little money. The children are filthy from lack of washing facilities. Even when we walked the area to meet some of the people, the kids cried from the fear of seeing strangers.
Many of the men would not come to clinic. We suppose it was due to the work but also the fact that they are private and are not as open to people coming in to give handouts. As I mentioned, they work hard, so I am sure some pride comes with them wanting to be the providers for thier family.
A soup kitchen and a community center have been built nearby and this has opened many of the locals hearts to the care others have to help them. They have Sunday school classes and many are learning to get their education. Hygiene has also been improved for many. It was great to see that many enjoy the fellowship in many ways through that facility.
We also did an eye clinic at a men's drug and alcohol rehabilitation center. The locals had been very resistant to having the church build it in thier community. They did not want drug addicts in their neighborhood. However, after the day of the clinic, many shared that they had changed thier opinions of the men. As they waited and learned more about the rehabilitation center, they saw that it was a good thing. Also, many people were interested in knowing when church services were as well.
The host church had arranged other ministries for that day and distributed Samaritan's Purse shoeboxes. They also used the Evangelism Explosion Cube of salvation may times to teach people about Jesus while they waited. We had a constant prayer room as well. We could really feel the presence of God in the clinics and we all know it was because the people prepared and prayed for them in advance. We now pray that the seed which was planted will be watered and produce great fruit.
Philippians 2:3-5 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus.
I have documented my journey, in early posts on this blog, of how God has taken experience as an Optician and turned it into a ministry on the mission field. Over the last 5 years, God has blessed me by allowing me to do these trips with different teams and individuals from all over North America and we then meet the host country partners and build relationships with them as well.
The eye clinic is a very cost effective ministry. The glasses are donated by millions of individuals. Most of what we use, goes through the Lion's Club. The glasses are then sent to a men's prison where a group of men have come to know Christ as their Saviour, but due to the consequence of their sin, they are in prison. However, the instruments necessary to read the prescriptions have been provided to them so they too can have a ministry. They evaluate the glasses and package them accordingly and the glasses are then sent to a warehouse. When Samaritan's Purse prepares for a trip, they obtain the stock necessary from this process.
The eye clinics are a basic means for the mission. We partner with local Pastors and ask them to arrange them in poor or secluded areas. Our prayer is that God will work through the clinics to reach the people and build realtionships with the partner and eventually plant churches and help the people grow spiritually into a relationship with Jesus Christ.
One of the areas of this trip was to a place where the locals make bricks for a living. They are a very humble community. They do not believe in birth control so it was not uncommon to see every 15 year old pregnant and 16 year olds with their 2nd child. The people work very hard and in bad conditions for very little money. The children are filthy from lack of washing facilities. Even when we walked the area to meet some of the people, the kids cried from the fear of seeing strangers.
Many of the men would not come to clinic. We suppose it was due to the work but also the fact that they are private and are not as open to people coming in to give handouts. As I mentioned, they work hard, so I am sure some pride comes with them wanting to be the providers for thier family.
A soup kitchen and a community center have been built nearby and this has opened many of the locals hearts to the care others have to help them. They have Sunday school classes and many are learning to get their education. Hygiene has also been improved for many. It was great to see that many enjoy the fellowship in many ways through that facility.
We also did an eye clinic at a men's drug and alcohol rehabilitation center. The locals had been very resistant to having the church build it in thier community. They did not want drug addicts in their neighborhood. However, after the day of the clinic, many shared that they had changed thier opinions of the men. As they waited and learned more about the rehabilitation center, they saw that it was a good thing. Also, many people were interested in knowing when church services were as well.
The host church had arranged other ministries for that day and distributed Samaritan's Purse shoeboxes. They also used the Evangelism Explosion Cube of salvation may times to teach people about Jesus while they waited. We had a constant prayer room as well. We could really feel the presence of God in the clinics and we all know it was because the people prepared and prayed for them in advance. We now pray that the seed which was planted will be watered and produce great fruit.
Philippians 2:3-5 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus.
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