March 2017 Missions Trip

This was the team’s 13th visit to Roatan, working out of the Oak Ridge Community Clinic in the poorest area of the island. The team consisted of twelve hard working volunteers.

Besides Dr. Bowers, Pam Bowers and Susan Barnett were scrub nurse surgery assistants. Debbie Anderson and Shawn Jennings were certified ophthalmic technicians. Courtney Cooper, grand-daughter to Ketyo who is originally from this community, accompanied the team to run the autoclave. Noemi Bermudez, a 2nd-year medical student from Liberty University helped greatly in the clinic and screening for glaucoma. Finally, the Askew family (Alan, Amy, Austin, Aiden and Ashlyn) provided mush help in the clinic and in repairs to a nearby home whose floor was in very poor condition.

The team was able to provide 22 much-needed cataract surgeries to people, several of whom were bilaterally legally blind but left seeing! Over 100 patients were examined and several new glaucoma cases were detected and treated. Numerous prescription eyeglasses were dispensed to generate numerous smiles. Many of these were given by our generous patients of Piedmont Eye Center. Patients also received Bibles donated by Gideons international by way of Jim Bowers, Dr. Bowers’ father.

In addition to the clinic work, all of us helped to run a Vacation Bible School for the local children and discussed God’s creation and caring for the environment as well as personal health and hygiene. The children received donated gifts and new shoes. The team also distributed hand-sewn hacky-sack balls to the kids and dishcloths to women hand-made by the Lynchburg group known as ‘Stitching 4 Jesus’ headed by Nancy Kicher. What a talented sewing group.

Looking forward to our return trip in 2018!