Kenya 2007
There are 2 testimonials and 1 report on the results of this team.
Testimonial from one of the optical workers:
From: walison@comcast.net [mailto:walison@comcast.net]
Sent: Saturday, July 07, 2007 5:34 PM
To: hollandkendall@kendalloptoministry.org
Cc: Gayle Galey
Subject: refractor picture of Gayle
Holland,
I have gone through and picked out the BEST picture of Gayle with a client. The interpreter with Gayle is named Humphrey. There is a story behind this picture as I was able to establish a relationship with this woman (Miriam) and her sister, Margaret, in the year 2005. They have become my sisters-in-Christ. In Swahili that is spoken as Dada Katika Yesu or you can say Dada Katika Christo Miriam was treated medically; as well as with eye glasses since she suffers from arthritis, and at times has a hard time walking. That was the case in 2005 and she was unable to attend due to pain. This year I made a quick run straight to them at the open air Maasai market to find my Dadas and invite them to the clnic. On Wednesday, June 20, 2007, Miriam came to see us via public transport from the other side of Nairobi. She stopped and her sister, Margaret, and "son of her sister" Joseph (they have no word for ne phew) joined her from the town of Banana Hill (where the political beheadings had been taking place between two sects of the Kakuru Tribe) . The public transportation brought them as far as Karanjee where we were in 2005, and they walked the rest of the way! Both Miriam and her sister Margaret needed glasses. I was thrilled we could once again help this family and am excited the best picture turned out to be of Gayle with Miriam. I am also enclosing my "family picture with them". I want you to see those I have learned to love there in Kenya. Holland, Mungu Akubariki (God bless you) for the ministry you offer. I am blessed to have been a part of your ministry for the Lord!
Yours in Christ
Alison Morgan
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Another Testimonial from the optical team leader.
-----Original Message-----
From: Gayle [mailto:ggaley207@comcast.net]
Sent: Wednesday, July 04, 2007 8:38 PM
To: Holland Kendall <Kendall Optometry Ministry, Inc.>
Subject: Statement about ministry
First Baptist Church, Hattiesburg, MS, just returned from our third mission trip to Kenya...the second time we have taken the Kendall Optometry Ministry equipment. For the second time many lives were changed in a moment. For the little children who can now learn to read one can only imagine the impact this will have on their future.
I have had the experience and the disappointment in trying to help people with eyeglasses when there was no way to help them other than with "readers" and a table scattered with Rx glasses with no way of fitting the correct ones to the people.
Through the use of an autorefractor, KOM's computerized program of matching the patient's prescription needs to an inventory of prescription glasses and thus bringing the world into focus for the first time in many people's lives...there are no words to describe the blessing received on both sides.
Children see leaves on trees for the first time. Older people are able to read and see clearly things they either have never seen before or haven't seen clearly in a long time. Smiles and thank you's come quickly.
Whether the words of gratitude were in Swahili, Kikuyu, or English it didn't matter. The way smiles replaced solemnest conveyed the entire message.
I cannot begin to express my appreciation to Holland Kendall for what he has done for the many people all over the world who are benefiting from his God given talents and heart for helping people to see. It makes all the difference to use his equipment when trying to make a significant difference in people's lives in the area of eyeglasses.
I shall be eternally grateful for his patience in helping me to carry out his program on the mission field successfully. He and I both know that if I can use it anyone can!
Gayle Galey
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Report about the team:
From: Gayle [mailto:ggaley207@comcast.net]
Sent: Sunday, July 08, 2007 6:36 PM
To: Undisclosed-Recipient:;
Subject: Eyeglass Report
Hi, Everyone,
Many of you have asked about the numbers pertaining to the eyeglass ministry of our Kenya trip. Well, thanks to a wonderful Sunday School class who came in early this morning and visually (manually)counted the empty slots I can give you the count:
1,097 people seen in eyeglasses
928 prescription, readers and assembled on site glasses given out
250 sunglasses given out
Grand total = 1,178 glasses provided to the people we saw.
In addition to this there were five young people we were unable to help due to the severity of their needs. I made arrangements with Stephen, the Brackenhurst nurse to have these young people taken to Nairobi to see an eye doctor and provided with necessary care and eyeglasses. Their ages ranged from seven years old to nineteen.
Today is my birthday and in Kenya my wish for today was to help those five young people's needs to be taken care of. It is such an incredible blessing to think of the impact this will have on their lives. I anxiously await hearing the follow through on this.
Hope all of you are getting oriented back into your respective time zones. It takes a while, doesn't it?
Hugs,
Gayle Galey
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