“It’s a God Thing” Belaire June 2011 Eye Team Report



We held the clinic on the upstairs veranda of Evelyn's home.

In the four days of clinics held June 6-9, 2011, at Evelyn Castellar’s Clinica de Los Angeles in Belaire, Honduras, the “It’s a God Thing” Eye Team evaluated 216 patients, first screening for eye diseases and administering both far and near visual acuity tests then fitting the patient with glasses to improve far and/or near vision when needed.  The team dispensed 127 pairs of positive readers, 7 pairs of negative “readers”, and 63 pairs of prescription glasses. Patients whose near vision could not be corrected sufficiently enough to read their own Bibles or those distributed by our Evangelism Team were given the large print Scripture booklet “La historia de Jesús Cristo”. All visitors to the Eyeglass Clinic were informed about the importance of UV protection and approximately 400 pairs of sunglasses were distributed.  The 100 or so remaining pairs were left with Evelyn.   

Patient Demographics

Age/Gender	Age Unknown	0-9 years	10-19 years	20-39 years	40-59 years	60-79 years	80-100 years	Totals
Male	1	1	6	14	17	20	6	65
Female	3	3	13	60	39	23	2	143
Gender Unknown	0	0	1	4	1	2	0	8
Totals	4	4	20	78	57	45	8	216

Brad Hyche measures far vision acuity
while holding a sleeping boy.

In addition, patients were taught about eye diseases and ways to protect their vision and about water related illnesses and the importance of purifying water and preventing dehydration.  Patients who could read were given copies of the eye care booklet, “Los Ojos”, as well as the booklet on water related illnesses, sanitation, hygiene, water purification, and rehydration,  “Los Gérmenes, los Parásitos, & los Mosquitos Afectan su Vida” and encouraged to share the information with others in their villages.

We met and measured this girl in February, had new
glasses made for her and then deliveried them this trip.

The team also delivered four pairs of glasses which had been special ordered from Zenni Optical in February by “Team Belaire.”

Unpacking, setting up and breaking down takes many hands.

“It’s a God Thing” Eye Team members included Lynn Giedinghagen, Dale Hyche, Brad Hyche, Hugh Guffey, and Mary Guffey from Alabama and Yaqui Sanches Calix, Patty Calderon, and  LDS volunteer Elder Jones from La Ceiba.  They were frequently assisted by many other “It’s a God Thing” team members, in particular, Angela Calvert, Michelle Hallmark, and Alicia Hyche. Even our bus driver, José, pitched in on the last day.  And almost the entire team helped set up, clean up, and pack up.  Many thanks to Brent Brady for carrying the inventory to Belaire and to José Castellar for returning it to the bodega in La Ceiba.