David Bahn – Reflections

Mark 6:30-34

The apostles returned to Jesus and told him all that they had done and taught. ³¹And he said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. ³² And they went away in the boat to a desolate place by themselves. ³³Now many saw them going and recognized them, and they ran there on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. ³⁴When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. And he began to teach them many things.

The numbers of people who came for the free eye clinic grew from day to day. By the end of the week we had seen 1050 people. We dispensed countless reading glasses, medications, and eye glasses that we assembled on-site based on the prescriptions generated by the autorefractors brought by the team.  The meds were prescribed by the doctors whom we had picked up in Narok, and who had also brought necessary equipment to provide the cataract surgeries in the local hospital.

One who received eye surgery was a young boy in a tie-died denim leisure suit. I recall seeing him not only at the church where we had set up the make-shift clinic, but also as he walked from the hospital, one eye covered with bandages, probably not fully realizing how remarkably different his next day would be!

One woman came who had no vision in either eye. The doctors told us that she would leave the day following her surgery able to see! Another girl came to us in the Triage area who had no eye trouble whatsoever. We determined that the only reason she had come was so that she could hear the Good News of Jesus.

There was a mix of women, men and children who visited the clinic. Many – almost all – of the men used canes or walking sticks. I asked a few if I could take their photos and all agreed.

Every one of these people heard the Good News of Jesus at least once. Many had a “second touch” opportunity to hear the message of God’s love in Jesus Christ for the sins of the world. That was why we came: we wanted to share the message of Jesus with the people there. We pray that they received not only the gift of new or better eyesight, but the gift of abundant, eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ.