Mission

Romans 1:20  For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky.  Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature.  So they have no excuse for not knowing God. (NLT)

Purpose

The purpose of this ministry is to provide free vision screening and glasses to children, teens, and adults who cannot afford these services.  Many less fortunate families, including those who live in remote areas of the world, simply don’t have their eyes examined.  Even if some families can afford this, it is often not a priority.  An amazing story that I never forgot is a follows:

Bailey’s Story

Several years ago a person I know named Erin told me a true story about her daughter Bailey.  At that time Bailey was 13 years old.  Bailey told her mom that she bent down to pet the cat and it was actually a slipper!  Like many children and adults, vision decreases slowly over time and the person does not realize that their eyes are actually getting worse.  Erin realized that she should have Bailey’s eyes examined.  Once Bailey was fitted with glasses, she told her mom that she never knew their carpet had a pattern with spots in it.  How many years was Bailey walking around not really appreciating the beauty around her – God’s creation? 

Taylor’s Story

While not as amazing as Bailey, my own son has a story.  When Taylor was in elementary school he got in trouble once in awhile.  One day he was acting up and the teacher removed him from the room, placing him on the other side of a glass wall at the back of the room.  Taylor said that he could not see the chalk board.  While his mother and I thought it was just an excuse, we eventually had his eyes checked.  Sure enough, he needed glasses.  By the teacher putting him even further away from the board did not help his situation.  How many other children are in school and are underperforming because they cannot adequately see the teacher’s notes or posters on the wall?

Just Think….

§  Just think of the many, many people in the world like Bailey who cannot fully appreciate the beauty God created because they cannot see the flowers, the trees, and the stars.

§  Just think of the many, many children in the world who cannot learn properly because they cannot read the teachers notes on the overhead or chalk board.  Generally, school-age students do not report visual problems, as they may have grown accustomed to blurred vision without ever realizing it.

§  Just think about the gifted child who could be a great athlete, but he or she cannot really see the ball coming at them.

§  Just think about the people living in the remote areas of Mexico or Africa who cannot see impending danger from a foe or a dangerous animal, like a snake on the ground.

§  Just think about the child in a war torn country as he or she reaches down to pick up what appears to be a rock and it is actually an unexploded device.

§  Just think of the thousands upon thousands of people who don’t see well, and don’t even know it!

§  Just think of someone who has a degenerate eye disease but may never know without an eye exam. 

The next time you watch one of those television shows promoting “feed the children” in a third world county, notice how many children are wearing glasses.  Almost none have glasses.  This ministry could offer a great service for those who need glasses. Many of us take for granted the gift of routine eye exams and the ability to purchase contacts or glasses.