2023
Where have we been?
Where are we going?
Where do we hope to minister?
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Where have we been?
Following a delightful Christmas season, January began with a bang. We seized on an opportunity to travel to the land of Israel with a group from our home church, Grace Gospel Church, Niagara Falls. It was a packed 10 day itinerary which included many traditional sights such as the Sea of Galilee, Caesarea Philippi, the Old City of Jerusalem and many more. As Don says, "it connected many of the dots" and brought a new dimension of understanding to the scriptures. We are still processing the experience.
About half way into the trip Karen contracted Covid. There was, of course disappointment with the interruption of our journey but there was devastation over the possibility that our ministry trip with Dr Alex Nwadozi (Eyes 2 See) would be scuttled. When we see you in person we would love to share how the Lord worked circumstances together allowing us to return to Canada and be healthy enough to travel again within a week! Praise His name!
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Upper Left: First glimpse of Jerusalem Upper Right: Sunset on the Sea of Galilee
Lower Left: View from Mount Precipice Lower RIght: Our group in the synagogue at Capernaum
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Where have we been for Ministry ?
For weeks in late 2022, we received prescriptions electronically from the local leader in a Limited Access Country (LAC). Individuals are able to access assessment but have no way to fill their prescriptions. Each prescription was manually entered into our program and the inventories were searched for appropriate matches. We and the home team (Carol, Pat and Becky) spent hours entering, pulling glasses and restocking the inventories. Each matched prescription was placed in a ziplock bag along with reading glasses as needed and hand sewn glasses cases. This was painstaking work but what a sense of accomplishment when it was all done!
These packaged prescriptions were delivered to Dr Alex for his review and approval. In his lab, he cut many pairs that we were not able to match from donated glasses or that were highly specialized. Dr Alex used as many frames as possible which he harvested from donations. The Lord wastes nothing!
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Upper Left: Scanning glasses & buildingan inventory Upper Right: Inventory ready to be filled
Middle Left: One completed inventory Middle Right: example of Rx to be filled sent from LAC
Lower: Home team Carol, Pat & Becky working to fill Rx and package for transport
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On January 26th we traveled south. It was a pleasure to meet the team of local Pastors and begin to build relationships for future ministry. It never ceases to amaze us how complete strangers are instantly brothers and sisters because of Jesus!
A prerequisite to ministry was a meeting with authorities to establish rules and conditions of ministry moving forward. It was a cordial meeting and we were pleased with the possibility of partnership with the local churches under government supervision.
The filled prescriptions were distributed by the network of Pastors. We are looking forward to hearing how needs were met and also how we can improve in the future. We are even more excited to hear how physical vision is helping expand the reach of the Gospel in this LAC.
Hebrews 10:24 states "And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another,and all the more as you see the Day drawing near" . The national church obviously takes this scripture to heart as the connection, joy and enthusiasm evident in their worship services bore witness. We went hoping to BE an encouragement and instead, came away having received encouragement! Isn't that the way God works?
Don shared in the morning and evening services at two local churches. Following the morning service a Pastor asked us if we had noticed a high concrete wall directly beside the worship area. We had noticed but thought it was just the wall of an adjacent home. We were told that it was the courtyard wall of a local prison! Believers within the prison gathered others each Sunday to listen to the worship service. Everything started to make sense as we considered the exceptionally loud speakers over a modest congregation. The church was literally broadcasting the service as an outreach to prisoners. Don's message had been on Luke 15 - The Lost sheep, the lost coin and the lost sons". What a powerful message from the Lord to those lost in that prison. God knew the need and He directed the message! Praise His Name!
Read on to hear about our upcoming follow-up ministry!
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Upper: Thank you gift to local optometry clinic (Karen, Don, Dr Alex)
Upper Middle Left & Right: Distribution of glasses to local churches
Lower Middle Left : Distribution cont'd Middle Right: Worship at local church
Lower Left: Karen sharing in the morning service with Dr Alex translating Lower Right: Don preaching in the evening service with Dr Alex translating
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Where are we going?
May 4-9, 2023 we are scheduled to travel back to this LAC. Over the past couple of months we have continued to receive eyeglass prescriptions and we and the home team have been working hard to fill them and restock the inventory. We have already delivered the prescriptions filled to Dr Alex who will again check them and work on filling those we were unable to match from the inventories. As more prescriptions come in and, as time allows, we will continue to meet as many needs as possible. Additionally, we have packed another "thank you " gift for the government as well as supplies of different strengths of reading glasses and Spanish John 3:16 reading charts for each of the Pastors to use in their communities. We are so grateful for the partnership of Dr Alex Nwadozi and Eyes 2 See with That All May See to use vision care to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ to those who need to see HIM.
May 22 - June 14, 2023 we return to Uganda, Lord willing, to work once again with Love All Ministries Uganda (LAM). During the three weeks in country we are planning to minister in Lugazi where we held our clinics three, almost four, years ago. Then, we will be ministering in Mokono under the direction of Pastor Timothy. Many people in that area work in stone quarries and so we are prioritizing safety goggles and sunglasses. 
The potential of the third week of ministry is, for us, the most exciting. The Lord is opening doors for TAMS to minister in the Kampala prison! This trip we will be ministering to aprox 800 guards with sunglasses and reading glasses. We will also be meeting the staff and formulating a plan to serve the roughly 1600 inmates on our next trip - hopefully in the spring of 2024. This is an opportunity to share the Gospel to "the least of these" and offer hope in Jesus' name!
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Take a look at our last partnership with LAM!
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Where do we hope to minister ?
Answer: Wherever God leads!
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Prayer
1. Pray for ministry to LAC especially continued favour by the government and effective outreach by the local churches
2. Pray for ministry in Uganda that we will take exactly what is needed and that a good plan for outreach to the inmates will be developed
3. Pray for safety in travels and for stamina
4. Pray that all supplies and baggage will arrive safely
5. Pray for effective and encouraging ministry to National churches
6. Pray for the supply of finances for needed equipment and supplies
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Praise
1. Thank the Lord for many open doors and opportunities to travel and minister
2. Ongoing opportunities for discipleship and service in Niagara Falls
3. Health and vitality
4. For an unbelievably patient, energetic and committed home team of volunteers
5. Open doors for service to our neighbours
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A final note . . .
We love the feature in transatlantic planes where you can see a view of the pilot's big picture. At 35,000 ft with clear skies we can see mountain ranges, lakes and deserts. As we think about the opportunities that God has been opening for ministry through That All May See, we can identify lands from the Caribbean to Africa to South America where vision care is needed and so is the Gospel. We continue to explore every opportunity and pray that the LORD and Master will lead us to those of His choosing. This is very different from the view that we saw from the airport runway in the last three years. Hallelujah!!
Take a deep breath with us as we descend to 10,000 and then 5000 feet where reality comes into much sharper focus. The opportunities are great but the needs are greater. What exactly ARE the needs? We are SO glad you asked!
1. In preparation for the trip to the LAC, we needed to purchase many higher diopter reading glasses. As well, we felt led to provide additional reading glasses for use by the churches between outreaches. These high quality glasses were sourced for $1 US per pair.
2. In preparation for the outreach in Uganda, we purchased, by faith, just over $3000 CAD worth of sunglasses and additional readers. This sounds extravagant but with 800 guards and two communities that is a lot of glasses. We were able to source high quality UV protective sunglasses at $1 US per pair!
3. The cost to rent and transport the autorefractor is becoming unworkable. The cost of everything is rising and the autorefractor rental and shipping is now $720 US. This is EACH time we need to travel. A new kit can be purchased for about $15,000 US and we are asking the Lord to supply the funds for That All May See to purchase a kit thus eliminating this per trip charge.
4. Airfare, extra luggage fees and many other related travel costs are also on the rise. If we are to continue serving as the Lord leads then added funding is needed.
5. As glasses are being used, we are in need of used prescription glasses to replenish the inventories. We are especially in need of children's glasses.
As doors are SPRINGING open we would love to be able to serve freely and avoid restriction of ministry because of lack of funding.
Please pray as we "GO" that the message of the Gospel rings out in a clear and Spirit filled way bringing many to a saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ!
Now that we are firmly back on the ground, we trust you captured the vision of bringing glory to God through vision care as well as some of the challenges. We deeply appreciate your involvement with this ministry in prayer and in giving so That All May See HIM. To God be the glory great things He is DOING!
In His service with you,
Don & Karen
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