Dear Friends,

 

Melinda Preval, 12 years old, lives in the city of Ouanaminthe, the boarder city between Haiti and the Dominican Republic, 70 km from the city of Cap-Haitien. Eye doctor diagnostic Melinda’s bilateral cataract when she was 8 years old. Her parents did not realize how critical Melinda’s eyes were. Besides not knowing the importance of having an early operation, they did not have money that a cataract operation required in Port-au-Prince, the capital city of Haiti.

 

Melinda is now in 6^th grade and had to take a state exam next June 2012 in order to start her junior high school. Melinda could hardly see the blackboard. She could hardly write in her note books or read a book. She was depended on her classmates in order to have some school notes. When walking she has to close her left eye in order to see a little bit with the right eye.

 

When she came to our eye clinic Melinda vision was 20/400 on right eye and could count fingers at one foot with the left eye. Beside the congenital cataract, she was also suffering of AMBLYOPIA and STRABISMUS.

 

The doctor told her parents about operating on Melinda thanks to the gift of funds for the children operation. What a relief for the parents and for Melinda. On Wednesday May 2, the doctor operated on the left eye that was badly affected. 24 hours after the operation, the girl could already see some improvement in her vision. Now Melinda does not need to close her left eye when walking and can read her note books and her books. With correcting eye glasses that will take care of her Amblyopia, her vision is 20/200 on right eye and 20/100 on left eye.

 

Even though Melinda would not recuperate completely (100%) her vision because of the late operation, she is already satisfied and sure for the future. She is ready to take her state exam next June. Slowly, her eyes will retake their normal position which means that her amblyopia is regressing. Her parents are thankful to the Haitian Baptist Convention eye clinic and to the donors of funds that has made this treatment possible. The right eye will be operated in the days to come.

 

We all at the eye clinic say thank you to all of you for your support of the eye clinic ministry.

 

For the staff,

 

Nzunga Mabudiga

 

 

Greetings,

 

This is the first result of the “Restoring Sight to Children” campaign.  I can’t think of a better way to be like Jesus than restoring someone’s sight, especially children.  A child in Haiti has all the odds against them for a bright future under normal circumstances.  If they have a handicap of any sort the chances are almost zero.  Thank you so much for hearing their plea for help and responding.  We still need more to reach our goal of 24 operations a month.  Please pray for this ministry and ask God what he would have you do.  Look into Melinda’s eyes and see what her life may be because you helped.

 

In His Name,

 

Dennis Shewell

Mission Partnership Team Communications Advocate and Convener

Nzunga and Kihomi Ministry

E-mail: deshewell@gmail.com

Phone: 812-569-1352

 

Other team Members:

Les Roberson

Diana Peysha

Shawna Gorman

Terry Bivens-Fry

Charles Newman