EYE CARE MINISTRY

LOOKING BACK

The LORD’S timing and provision for the eye ministry in Northern Ghana has been amazing. In August 2007, a team from Florida consisting of Dr. Jim Chamberlain and Phil Allen joined with Alabaster Project Ministries to evaluate eye problems in the villages around Tamale. Five villages were visited to investigate the problems concerning eye care. Many of the problems identified were mostly due to the harsh climate and lack of any suitable medical facilities.

In January 2007, the LORD provided a donor that would match up to $16,000 for creating an eye care ministry in Northern Ghana. In May of 2007, over $25,000 worth of new and used eye equipment was shipped to Bethany Village. In early August 2007, a team led by Dr. Jim Chamberlain, the pastor at Christwalk church and a practicing optometrist, arrived at Bethany Village to establish the eye clinic.

An auto refractor connected to a computer is used to read the prescription for each patient. The computer tells where to find the best match for the patient in the inventory of over 5000 glasses donated by the Lions Club and other sources.

THE EYE GLASS MINISTRY

Each week the number of patients is increasing and what a joy it is to see the big smiles on the faces of the patients after they have received their eyeglasses. Recently, a man from the village of Kasalgu (village adjacent to Bethany Village) came to have his eyes examined. After reading the eye chart (which is John 3:16 written in Dagbani), he exclaimed, “I like these words, what book did you write these words from? Where can I get a copy of this book?” He accepted the Lord the very same day.

THE NEW EYE CLINIC

Unfortunately, the eye clinic shares the same space with the dental clinic. Apparently, the LORD’S next step was to provide a new facility for the eye clinic. Christwalk Church of Amelia Island, FL and the Rock Church of Jonesboro, AK combined together with others to raise the funds to build a new eye clinic. The picture below shows the new eye clinic in relation to the dental clinic.

God has been so faithful! It is by God’s grace and favor that the clinic has been completed. The clinic has an operating theatre and an optical section where eyeglasses will be dispensed. Below is a picture of the waiting room in the new eye clinic.

The dispensary is a key area in the eye clinic. It is where the glasses are stored and the equipment to read and measure the eye prescriptions of the patients is located.

The next room is the one that will truly make a difference in the eye care ministry. It is the operating theatre. We are praying that it will be equipped to do surgery on cataracts, glaucoma, pterygia, and trachoma. The picture below shows the new operating theatre.

EXAMPLES OF THE EYE CARE MINISTRY

When this lady below came to the eye clinic at Bethany Village, she was in desperate need of new eyeglasses. She had been wearing the same pair of eyeglasses for the past 20 years. As you can see, the right lense of her eyeglasses is missing. Her daughter heard about Alabaster Project Ministries eye care services and brought her mother to see if we could help.

After receiving her new eyeglasses below, she is telling everyone how much she is able to see. Thank God for providing this service.

THE NEED FOR SURGICAL CAPABILITY

According to a report from the United Nations, the northern region of Ghana has the worst cases of eye diseases and eye problems in the world. This is due to the dry and dusty climate of this sub-Sahara region. In addition to the dust, also for those who live near the rivers, there is a (Tsetse fly) fly that causes river blindness.

The person below has both cataracts and ptergia.

WILL YOU PRAY?

Will you commit to pray? The number of Dagombas who have accepted Jesus as Savior continues to increase. Those who have accepted Jesus Christ as Lord truly desire to see their people saved. Pray for their strength and endurance. Pray for eye care professionals to help equip and provide the surgical eye care needs.

PRAYER REQUESTS

Pray for additional workers in the areas of:

Administration
Bible Teaching
Farm Managing
Mechanics

Please mail all contributions for Alabaster Project to:
P. O. Box 15008
Fernandina Beach, FL 32035

To contact the Hammonds in Ghana Write to: 
Alabaster Project Ministries
P. O. Box ER324
Tamale, Ghana
West Africa

Or Email: alabasterghana@hotmail.com