BUT GOD .....

A Buddhist Monk, a Hindu High Priest and a Witch Doctor walk into a Eye Clinic .... seriously, this is no joke, it actually happened!

While contemplating what happened and what we experienced during our Sri Lanka trip, we cannot help but give God all the glory!

While Conferences, Seminars, Crusades and Church Meetings are an important tool to bring the Word of God to feed the spiritually hungry, we have found that by doing Eye Vision Clinics, we get to interact with people of different religions, ideology and beliefs that we would never get to touch in a church setting.

That is why we are so thankful to the Lord!  Who BUT GOD, would bring a Hindu High Priest, a Buddhist Monk, a Witch Doctor, Muslim women,  numerous Police Officers and a Criminal Investigator to our clinics.

After every examination, we ask the person if we can pray for them.  We begin with a prayer for their eye conditions and any other physical healing they need.  And then we pray that salvation will come to them and their household; that they would experience and know the power and love of the Lord.

Pat and I were given a report of the effectiveness of this type of prayer.  Last time we were in Sri Lanka, we prayed for a female Witch Doctor (at the time we did not know this was how she earned a living).  She received glasses and was prayed for.  Two weeks later she came back to the church where she attended the Eye Vision Clinic.  She told the Pastor that for the past two weeks she had been unable to cast any spells and she no longer feels a power within her.   The Pastor shared with her about Jesus, and was able to lead her and her family to salvation.  For the past year and a half, she and her family have been faithfully coming to church and growing in the Lord.

Witch Doctor -  -  -  - Buddhist Monk

Muslim Women - - - Hindu High Priest

Who BUT GOD would love someone so much that He would reveal Himself to them at a Eye Vision Clinic.

It gives us great satisfaction to help people with glasses for their natural sight; but there is an unexplainable joy that fills us when they receive their spiritual sight!

Who knows what testimonies we will hear the next time we journey to Sri Lanka.   We might not know - BUT GOD does!

Thank you for your faithful love, prayers and support ~ Gary.

A Brief Recap

Most people find statistics dry, uninteresting, even boring.  Movies, pictures, action - that's what we all like.

When the numbers represent people, families, lives that have been impacted by the love of God - it's the most exciting thing in this world.

Here's a quick overview of our recent mission trip that took us across the nation of Sri Lanka:

• During four weeks we held 12 Eye Vision Clinics
• Performed 768 Eye Exams and gave away 657 Pairs of Glasses

More reports to follow as we settle back at home, and contemplate all that was accomplished.

For more visual delights - visit Cyndy's blog Montana1aDay.com

~ Pat

Home Again, Home Again

Amazing trip - so worth the arduous travel part.  Glad to be home and already planning 'next time'.  Pat

Safely to San Francisco

So glad for a sign that tells me where I am!

Nine hours after leaving Tokyo we landed in San Francisco - the flight was uneventful, even got a little sleep.

Enjoyed clam chowder and fish tacos while waiting for our final flight home... which is delayed!  The final leg of our journey is the shortest, but seems the longest ... probably due to sleep deprivation.  So looking forward to getting home.  Pat

In Transit in Tokyo

Our airplane waiting at the gate as we enjoy take out sushi.  What more could we ask?

Home in about 14 hours (via San Francisco)  ~ Pat

Heading Home: Bangkok

What 4 am looks like.  Waiting to board our 7:00 am flight to Tokyo.  Then on through San Francisco to Las Vegas.

See you on the ground ~ Pat

Week 4: Panama Eye Clinic & Bibile Revisited

The day started with a beautiful sunrise at Hotel Lions Nature, woken by meowing peacocks (honest.. listen here).  

It was about a 2 hour drive to Panama - right on the coast, and famous for windsailing competitions.   The eye clinic started about 10 am.  We saw 50 people and gave out 43 pair of glasses.  Several traffic police officers came for exams and glasses.  While they might have afforded to get glasses on their own, the goodwill engendered is valuable.

In Panama the Buddhist Temple had previously held an eye clinic and charged RS 650 to register, then told some people their glasses would cost much more, up to RS 1,000 or more.  While just US $5 - $10, for village people and subsistence farmers, this amount is unmanageable.

Saturday we revisited Bibile to provide eye exams to the 50 people who had been waiting in line when we closed last week.   They all received a phone call, and showed up bright and early.  We saw a total of 58 people, and gave out 57 pair of glasses.

Our hearts are grateful that with your love, prayers, and support, we are able to touch these lives in such a needed way, knowing they will remember the love of Jesus each time they use their glasses.  

More to come as we wrap up our time in Sri Lanka ~ Pat

The Village of Ana

The villagers of Ana walk over 2 km  (1.2 miles) from the main road down into jungle dotted with modest, relatively new homes made primarily of hand fashioned brick or concrete.

Saturday night about 30 men, women and children waited for us.  In the crowded front room of the home, their praise rose to heaven, and the presence of almighty God filled the room.  Testimonies spoke of their simple, yet profound faith in this Jesus they serve.

Gary shared a Word from John 6:1-14, the story of feeding the 5,000.  The emphasis was on how God needs each person to fill their role in His kingdom work.

All of us joined in a prayer of renewed dedication to fully serve Him.  Followed by individual prayer for healing, blessing or  family situations.

Then a special treat was served with tea, as one of the woman had made and brought Sri Lankan Kokis as a thank offering. (Interestingly these are very similar to a sweet treat our Canadian Aunties made when we were kids)

Ended the day with a trip to our favorite local hopper shop.

Each day brings new adventures....thanks for sharing them with us ~ Pat