On February 14, 10 missionaries began their journey to Belize, Central America to work with MOST Ministries in providing vision testing and eyeglasses to people without the means to purchase them. Members of this trip included Scott and Jenny Beam, Deb Johnson, Angie Ugo, Kay Barlow and Linda Preiss from Christ, Milford; Kathy Chrzanowski (Team Leader) and Ray Riggs from St. Matthew, Walled Lake; Kay Shalfeieff from Shepherd of the Lakes, Brighton; and John Hurtubise. For most of the volunteers this was their very first mission trip! Each member of the team had a person at our churches praying specifically for them throughout their 7-day sojourn.
Their time entailed long days and travel to many different communities to set up clinics at area churches, but the effort left an indelible impression on the volunteers.
The team encountered a 94 year-old woman who was described as a pillar of the congregation at one of the churches they visited. She told Angie Ugo that she was unable to read her Bible due to her bad vision. It was determined she would need very thick glasses so she could read the print. Thanks to a MOST Ministry donation, this woman received glasses and a new cane. Angie worked with her to help her get accustomed to her new glasses and using the cane so that she would be more stable walking.
Linda Preiss, who is the Evangelism leader for Christ, Milford, wrote in her blog: “Over the four days that we held eyeglass clinics, we served 518 people and distributed 692 glasses, plus an extra 129 sunglasses. Each one of these people left being able to see better or at least got sunglasses to protect their eyes from the bright sun. Not to mention that each one got to hear about Jesus’s love for them. We pray the seeds we planted—or watered—while we were in Belize will
continue to grow by the grace of the Holy Spirit and will bear much fruit in their community.”
We are thankful to God for their safe return and ability to witness to the Belize people. To learn more about MOST Ministries, go to www.mostministries.com.
Photo credit Ray Riggs
