Mission for Vision took a team of seven to Kinshasa in May 2013 to carry out a clinic in one of the suburbs. The DR Congo has very little in the way of optometry services and Mission for Vision is making plans to set up permenant vision centres in the country beginning in Kinshasa. During the week the team saw nearly 1000 people, 1,200 spectacles were dispensed over 300 sunglasses given and 24 M4V glasses for astigmatism were made. 31 people were referred for glaucoma and cataract related issues and the charity funded several operations. The mission was filmed and put on both national and local TV channels.
Mission for Vision carried out eye clinics and bible teaching in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo, for the first time. Rob Dingman from Calvary Chapel Twickenham taught through 1 Thessalonians with interpretation by Dieudonne Lumbi. Dieudonne was also one of the optometrists and, being from the DRC himself, he made most of the arrangements for the trip.
The clinics lasted 5 days and nearly 1000 were seen, 1200 glasses dispensed, 300 sunglasses given and 31 people were referred for cataract surgery and glaucoma treatment funded by the charity.
Plans are being made to set up a permanent vision centre with training facilities in Kinshasa. We give thanks to the Lord for the forty people who repented at the preaching of the Word and received the gift of salvation through faith in Christ. Thanks also to all the team and of course our dear friends who looked after us so well: Francois, Natalie, Nestor, Mimi, Susanna, Remi, Homer, Guilain, Rene, Sebastian, Patrick and Chris who all did a brilliant job.
The team included:
