AHMEN
Extended Eye-Care Ministry
By Guff Guffy
Mary
and I are just returned from Honduras where we traveled with AHMEN’s
Sept. ‘08 team back to Limon and Ciriboya. We are
now planning and preparing for the 2009 season for the AHMEN
Extended Eye-Care Ministry. This year, we had three teams work
with the new AHMEN computerized inventory of used prescription
glasses with outstanding results. If you have not already done
so, you need to read the combined report for these three teams.
It is reproduced on the Kendall Optometry Ministry’s site
at
http://kendall-optometry-ministry.com/kendall-optometry/id67.htm
Kendall Optometry Ministry (KOM) has become a central partner
in AHMEN’s Extended Eye-Care Ministry as it is the primary
provider of training, equipment and technical support. With KOM’s
assistance we now have a mobile inventory with a capacity of
up to 3000 pairs of used prescription (RX) eyeglasses. These
glasses are all linked to a portable auto-refractor by a computerized
system that was designed and is maintained by KOM. This system
has improved our in-field capabilities to assist our clients
with both far and near vision glasses plus it has reduced the
overall costs substantially.
In 2009, we are expecting/ praying to have at least twice
as many participating teams as in 2008. Hopefully the Joe Jones
team will be returning to the La Union area with an eye-care
component. We met with Pastor Mauricio two weeks ago and he is
praying that AHMEN will increase its trips to La Union to at
least two in 2009. In addition, Bucket has a strong eye-care
group and is planning on having two teams in Utila, each with
an eye care component. The Columbiana team is on the Limon schedule
for next year and already has an experienced eye-care team. We
are also looking for Sharon Bowie’s team to have an eye
care component as well as the Hollingsworth team. Hopefully there
are others.
If you are new to this system, please go to the KOM
site (http://kendall-optometry-ministry.org/)
and generally familiarize yourself with the overall program.
Next, you should plan on sending your eye-care team to Louisville
for their initial training. The upcoming training dates are: Nov.
22, 2008, Jan. 17, March 7, April 18 or May 30, 2009. Go to ( http://kendall-optometry-ministry.com/kendall-optometry/id34.htm )
to sign up. This site also has links to a more complete description
of the class, directions to the training site and even the lunch
menu. The training is free, but there is a charge for the manual
and for lunch. Plus there’s the expense for travel
and lodging.
Last year, Mary and I went twice (we are slow to learn)
to the KOM training, Jane Cox sent four members, Bucket sent
two. This year Bucket is planning on sending his two back plus
4-6 more. Deb Windham said that she and Phillip from Sharon Bowie’s
team might be interested in heading up an eye-care component.
And, Tina Corely is interested in sending a group. Ideally
you need between five and six fully trained members to operate
the system well.
We would like to have anyone who is planning on
participating on an eye-care team, or who is just thinking participating
on an eye care team, attend the November 22 AHMEN meeting at
Discovery UMC. We will be demonstrating the use of one of our
two new automatic lens readers at that meeting. These machines
will go a long way toward improving our ability to categorize
and inventory used prescription glasses for our use in Honduras.
In addition we will be demonstrating the use of our newest table
top auto refractor that will be available for permanent installation
in a Honduran clinic. Also, we would like to meet for a few minutes
after the meeting to discuss/plan for at least one AHMEN eye-care
training session.
Please distribute this information to
anyone on your team who might be interested in participating
in this effort.
