Adopt a Missionary!!! 

Listed below are brothers and sisters in the Lord who are serving in needy areas in the U.S. and overseas. We encourage you to prayerfully consider "adopting" one of these Ophthalmology Missionaries. Support them through prayer, help them with a monthly donation, or by meeting a specific need. They could always use support! 

To get involved just send us a note at info@christianeye.net or fill out the "Interested in more info?" form to your right.

 

Dr Jérémie Agré - Cote D’Ivoire (Ivory Coast)

Jeremie is an ophthalmologist in the Ivory Coast serving with MediService Africa and the Mobile Eye Clinic - Cote d’Ivoire. The Mobile Eye Clinic has been able to provide pro bono eye care to thousands of indigent patients without access to health care in the underserved rural areas of the Ivory Coast.

The Mobile Eye Clinic project is planning to open 2 new satellite eye clinics and to hire 2 ophthalmic nurses to support the important needs outside the large city. The satellite clinics will enable cataract and glaucoma screening to take place in the under-served rural areas and visiting surgeons from the capital to perform surgeries and follow up care.

His clinic is is need of some basic eye equipment. If you are able to donate any of the following used items in good condition, they would be happy to arrange and pay for transport of materials.

• Slit lamps with tonometer
• Auto refractors A-scan / B-scan ultrasound
• Vision projectors
• Fundus cameras
• Automated visual field machines
• Basic surgical ophthalmology sets

If you wish to financially support Jeremie & Marie Claire Agre please send your gift to:
The Navigators, Account number 191478.

The Navigators PO Box 6079
Albert Lea, MN 56007-6679

If you are able to help with equipment or supplies, please contact the Christian Eye Network.

Dr Jérémie Agré, Consultant ophthalmologist, Cote D’Ivoire;
Phone: (225) 09 54 53 53/01 80 32 48

Here is a link to a news story from Coos Bay-North Bend, OR. It gives some insight to what Jeremie does and how you can help. Jeremie's the only eye surgeon in an area with roughly one million people!  

Duranda Ash - Bahamas

Duranda is an ophthalmologist in the Bahamas and she is establishing a social clinic in the country for those who are underserved. The clinic will employ and train local healthcare workers, and provide for a wide range of patients.

If you would like to prayerfully or financially support the clinic by helping with supplies or equipment, please contact the Christian Eye Network.

 

 

John Cropsey – Burundi

John and his family are part of a community of families and friends who are seeking to serve God through medical work in Burundi. They call themselves "The Serge Kibuye Team." Follow the Cropseys by going to their blog:

http://mccropders.blogspot.com/

John says: “The ongoing instability in Burundi has led to some unfortunate situations. All of these things present unique challenges when one is attempting to develop a major medical training center. Yet, God is still at work. This year, Kibuye Hope Hospital trained its 1,000th student since our team began in 2014! Over 30,000 patients will be cared for this year at the hospital. In addition, Kibuye’s growing presence in the community provides 500 jobs to local families, 300 of which are construction workers putting up infrastructure at an amazing pace. Through all of this rapid expansion, we have never once been able to outspend God’s generous donors to this work.

Ironically, in the midst of all the instability, our team has grown in leaps in bounds. When we first arrived in Burundi in 2013 there were 16 of us. Now Jess and I are responsible for a team of over 50 people with more on the way! That comes with a whole other set of adaptations on everyone’s part. 2017 will be an important year of strategic planning. Sub-Saharan Africa is in dire need of effective, high-quality, high-volume eye care and we hope to learn from the success at Aravind Eye Hospital in India.

This cross-cultural service we have been called to do has very unique challenges and stresses. We’ve been overseas full-time now for over 4 years, so it is with excitement and sadness all mixed together that, starting in July 2017, we’ll be taking a “sabbatical year” back in the USA.”

If you can help John and his team, send an email to the Christian Eye Network.

Also, John is excited to share a great video of what's happening at Kibuye Hope Hospital. Please feel free to spread the word and share this link with others that might be interested in the work in Burundi.

www.vimeo.com/kibuyehope/prelude 

Timothy Fincher - United Arab Emirates

Tim Finchner began the Eye Clinic at Oasis Hospital in the emirate of Abu Dhabi, in January 2010. The Oasis was founded in 1960, and seeks to bring international standards of heath care to the community of Al Ain - "Healing the sick and proclaiming the kingdom of God."

The Eye Clinic is in a unique and historically Christian hospital with patients coming from about 10-12 different countries. They predominately serve a large migrant work force from the Mideast and Indian subcontinent -- Sudan, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, Pakistan and others. For most of their patients, the Christians at the hospital may be the only believers they will ever meet.

Pray for and reach out to Tim by contacting the Christian Eye Network

 

Sean Grinovich - United Arab Emirates

Sean is working with Tim Finchner at the Eye Clinic at Oasis Hospital. He has currently taken over the day to day running of the eye clinic at the Eye Clinic, while Tim takes a leave from the hospital to study language full time.

Oasis was the first hospital in the emirate of Abu Dhabi, to bring international standards of heath care to the community of Al Ain. Their motto is "Healing the sick and proclaiming the kingdom of God."

The people at Oasis value relationships with their clients and business partners and seek to be sensitive to all cultural needs and welcome all people, seeking to serve them with Christ-centered compassion.

Pray for and reach out to Sean by contacting the Christian Eye Network.

Nathan Henson - Peru

Nathan and his wife, Kristen (who is a Nurse Practitioner), serve the Quechua in Cusco, Peru, with Medical Campus Outreach International (MCOI).  They are a part of an 11 adult team serving an area of 1.2 million people where poverty is widespread, and many lack access to healthcare.  Their goal is to teach future professionals to bring the gospel to their own people using the medical skills that God has given them, along with caring for the needy with their own medical training.

Nathan has been traveling for training on a new laser system. Last month he spent a week in a course with probably the most world-renowned surgeon in this type of laser surgery. He invited Nathan to come and train for free. It was an invaluable experience and he was so grateful that the Lord opened that door for him. Recently they did their first surgeries with the new laser system! They operated on 9 patients and are very thankful that all of the surgeries were a success. All of the patients are seeing with either perfect or near perfect vision at their first followups. They set a record for this type of surgery at the highest altitude ever in the world! It's a strange record but still pretty cool.

Kristen continues to fight for families for the little ones at the Josephine House orphanage. Here is a link to a video to that tells more about the house that was started by Ruth and Keith Powlison, a couple working here in Cusco with their mission:

https://www.mtw.org/stories/details/the-josephine-house-a-video

Recently, the Henson's were notified that we will be losing $1500 of their monthly support and are asking the Lord to provide so that we can continue to serve here in Cusco. If you want to come along side the Hensons and support their work in Peru, contact the Christian Eye Network.

 

Eric & Wendy Hofman – Gabon

Wendy Hofman and her husband, Eric, are serving at the Bongolo Hospital, a 158-bed facility in the town of Lebamba, in the country of Gabon in Africa.  Eric is an administrator and ministry team leader and Wendy is an ophthalmologist providing medical care and training.

If you are interested in volunteering at their hospital send us a note at the Christian Eye Network.  Please consider supporting them through prayer as well.

A New Eye Clinic!
They are excited for God's amazing provision....the new eye center is up and running!  

God is doing some great work here through the hospital. Around 40,000 patients come to the hospital each year, and in addition to getting great physical care, they (and their family members) are hearing about Jesus. And close to 200 people each month are accepting Jesus. It is so great to see so much fruit!

Financial Needs
If you’d like to support the Hofmans and be involved financially in their work, here are two ways you can do that:

1.) If you’d like to give electronically, go to http://www.cmalliance.org/worker/hofman-eric-wendy, and click on the “Contribute to Support Fund” button on the right side of the screen. 

2.) If you would like to send a check, please make it payable to “The Christian and Missionary Alliance”, write “Eric and Wendy Hofman – 43-40-16809” on the memo line, and send it to:

The Christian and Missionary Alliance
Office of Donor Accounting
8595 Explorer Drive
Colorado Springs, CO 80920

 

John Kempen - Ethiopia

John Kempen and Scott Lawrence have partnered together to form a Christian nonprofit organization called Sight for Souls. They are dedicated to transforming lives and communities in the Global South through the gift of sight for the body and soul. Motivated by the love and example of Jesus Christ, their desire is to alleviate blindness through sustainable programs in areas with the greatest need. Their inaugural project is the establishment of the Discovery Eye Institute (DEI) in Addis Ababa Ethiopia. The DEI is a joint initiative of Ethiopian and American ophthalmologists to provide world class clinical care and serve as a leader in advanced training for doctors and eye care personnel in Africa.

John and his family have moved to Addis Ababa and are getting their feet on the ground. John is setting up clinical service at the MyungSung Medical Center while studying Amharic and setting up the eye institute.

They rely on financial support to continue this work. Please consider supporting them. If you would like to financially partner with them, you can mail a check to:

Sight for Souls
3300 Tyson Ave
Philadelphia, PA 19149

Or contribute online at https://www.sightforsouls.org/partner

You can reach John by contacting the Christian Eye Network.

 

Scott Lawrence - Ethiopia

As with John Kempen, Scott Lawrence and his family have moved to Addis Ababa. Scott is also working at the MyungSung Medical Center while studying Amharic and setting up the eye institute.

Please consider supporting them financially so they can continue their work. If you would like to partner with them, you can mail a check to:

Sight for Souls
3300 Tyson Ave
Philadelphia, PA 19149

Or contribute online at https://www.sightforsouls.org/partner

Find out more about Scott and his family by going to this link: http://www.sim.org/index.php/worker/5200827

You can reach Scott by contacting the Christian Eye Network.

 

Jono Pons – Swaziland

Jono leads the Good Shepherd Eye Clinic in Siteki, Swaziland.  He is one of only 2 Ophthalmologists in Swaziland!  A country of 1.25 million people.

The Clinic has approval to install a new Optometry unit and they are awaiting the construction of that. If you come upon an Optometrist who is a believer and looking for a place to serve (even short term), Dr Jonathan Pons would love to talk to him/her!  

You can find out more information at: www.goodshepherdeyeclinic.org

 

Ben & Jenny Roberts - Tenwek Hospital - Kenya

Ben is serving at Tenwek Hospital in Bomet, Kenya, one of the world’s largest Christian mission hospitals. It was founded by World Gospel Mission in 1935, and works under the motto, “We Treat, Jesus Heals”.

Ben is part of the eye team at Tenwek Hospital, providing treatments and sight-restoring surgeries to those with eye diseases. Another highlight of his ministry is meeting weekly for a time of discipleship and growth with interns training at Tenwek.  He is serving among some ten medical missionaries who are doing long-term assignments there. Many are accompanied by spouses and children who live among and serve Tenwek’s community and neighbors.  Their ministry motto is “Sharing the Light, Restoring Vision,” and their desire is to share the light of Christ with the people of Kenya. The Tenwek eye team also travels to remote parts of East Africa to share this Light and vision with people beyond the hospital’s reach.

Caring eye surgeons (US/Kenyan) and clinical officers trained in cataract surgery are needed! If you, or someone you know, is interested in this opportunity, contact Ben.

If you want to come along side the Roberts and support their work in Kenya, you can reach Ben by contacting the Christian Eye Network.

 

Jeff Rutgard - iSight Missions & Hawaiian Eye Foundation

Dr. Rutgard founded iSight Missions which is a nonprofit charity that provides impoverished persons access to sustainable, affordable, quality eye care, vision-restoring surgeries and trains eye care providers worldwide. He also serves on the board of the Hawaiian Eye Foundation and is their Medical Director

Dr. Rutgard possibly is the only U.S. ophthalmologist who has dedicated nearly the last two decades to full-time humanitarian ophthalmology in developing countries. Since 1999, he has participated in over 170 eye missions, performed over 100,000 humanitarian eye examinations, and over 11,000 humanitarian eye surgeries which have transformed the lives of the underserved in impoverished locations worldwide. He has trained over 1,000 ophthalmologists worldwide to perform Manual Small Incision Cataract Surgery (MSICS) and also has trained nurses to be specialized MSICS surgical assistants.

You can find out more about ISight Missions from their website: http://www.isightmissions.org/

 

Joyce & Henri Samouto - Republic of Congo

Henri is a Senior Ophthalmic Technician with Surgical Skills, and Joyce is a Family Doctor. Together, they want to use the medical skills that God has blessed them with as a vehicle to bring hope to the blind and their loved ones in the Republic of Congo.

Henri learned eye surgery under Dr. Adrian Hopkins MBE, a renowned ophthalmologist and director for the Mectizan Donation Program that is responsible for Onchocerciasis being on the verge of eradication. Soon after his training, Mr. Samoutou chose to use his surgical skills to serve in non-profit hospitals and Mercy Ship, the world’s largest civilian floating hospital. One of the non-profit hospitals the Samoutous developed is the eye center at the Bongolo Hospital in Gabon, where the Hofmans now serve!  Most recently, God opened the doors for the Samoutos to build an eye hospital and minister in the town of Ouesso, Congo. 

You can find out more about New Sight Eye Care from their website: http://www.newsightcongo.com//