With great determination, the 78-year-old woman boarded a bus before dawn for the three-hour trip. She was headed to Ciudad del Este, the second largest city in Paraguay. “They’re giving away free glasses . . . near the market,” she’d heard. She hadn’t been able to read or sew for years. Nothing could stop her.
Searching the market, she found no sign of what she had traveled so far to find. Someone suggested the event was elsewhere, so she anxiously hopped onto another bus. Stepping out into a new section of town, the woman met more disappointment. Then after several more inquiries, a taxi driver finally remembered seeing a sign and a crowd. Nearly six hours after her journey began, the woman smiled as she held one of the last available spots at a free vision clinic held at a church in Paraguay called Iglesia Biblica Bautista Jeroviá. That spot would eventually lead to a new pair of glasses. But more importantly— it led to the woman’s eternal salvation.
The vision clinic, which offered eye exams and fitted people with donated glasses, was one of four simultaneous evangelistic outreach events held in conjunction with the church’s annual missions training camp.
Staffing for Sight
For nine years Pastor Juan Carlos Escobar, a national Paraguayan church planter, has organized a week-long missions training camp for youth from around the world. Escobar works through ABWE’s global access partnerships (GAP) program, which brings like-minded churches and mission agencies alongside ABWE to have a greater impact in the world.
As part of this year’s outreach, Escobar’s students partnered with VISTA MISSIONS, a Seattlebased non-profit, to serve at the vision clinic—which eventually drew nearly 1,200 people.
Vision Clinic
VISTA Missions sends teams to help national churches reach their needy communities with both physical and spiritual sight. Their offer of free glasses draws many to church sites who would never otherwise come.
At Iglesia Biblica Bautista Jeroviá, the young people served in the greeting and counseling area of VISTA Missions’ vision clinic. Many boldly presented the Gospel for the first time; usually to strangers several times their age. Some of these older people commented, “How is it that these young people know so much about the Bible and I am near the end of my life and have never heard these things before? What kind of church is this?”
Men who monitored the flow into the clinic commented on the dramatic transformation in the faces of many who had shown sadness or even anger while waiting in the crowd. Frequently, these people emerged from the counseling area smiling and changed from within. For many, it is was the first time they had ever seen clearly. For others, the new glasses restored their ability to read, sew, or see the faces of their grandchildren.
In countries like Paraguay a pair of glasses—often donated by an American whose insurance provided a new, more stylish pair—can enable someone to safely cross the street, succeed at school, or earn a living. A pair of glasses gives hope and meets an important need in these people’s lives. People who have no hope find it difficult to understand the Gospel of hope; it’s hard to think of eternity when today seems eternally difficult. Yet, a simple pair of glasses not only brings physical sight, it can open the door to spiritual sight too.
We found this to be the case with a man who worked as a guard near the church. He had repeatedly scorned attendees and was rude to the youth and the pastor and his wife, Alejandra. But a desire for glasses overcame his prejudice. “Lord, send him to me,” prayed Alejandra as she saw him enter the clinic. In the final step of choosing glasses in his prescription, the guard found himself face-to-face with Alejandra. Although he had previously refused to look her in the eye, she now kindly helped him to find just the right pair of glasses. He left grateful for the attention received from the Christians he had so despised.
While the vision clinic progressed in Ciudad del Este, three more teams held evangelistic events in different parts of the country. About 800 people heard the good news and nearly 300 made a decision to accept Christ.
Lessons Learned
Returning to their home churches, the enthusiastic youth could barely contain their excitement over how God used them to bring others to salvation. “I thought the camp would be boring and almost didn’t go,” testified Ainara, age 14, “but I learned so much about how to witness and lead others to the Lord. I was shaking when I first talked to someone face-to-face, but God gave me the words and it was fantastic! Now I feel bold about sharing my faith.”
After seven days of outreach, nearly 1,200 people were exposed to the gospel, more than 500 responded to Christ, and 1,022 pair of glasses were distributed.
As the VISTA Missions team returned to the states, the tremendous work of follow-up began. Ciudad del Este is a dangerous city where people are reluctant to give out their addresses. Upon receiving a call from a church member, however, many people indicated interest in a visit or a Bible study. One police official said, “I work tonight, but please come tomorrow.” He also requested a copy of the prayer to receive Christ so he could share it with his friends and family.
“We have a different face in the community now,” says Pastor Escobar. “Criticism has turned to praise because of the love shown through the clinic. I see pride, confidence and unity in our congregation and a profound conviction for the spiritual and physical needs in our community. As a church, we are awakened to our Lord’s words in Matthew 5:16: ‘Let your light shine among the people, so that they observe your good works and give glory to your heavenly Father.’”
But Now I See
During the vision clinic outreach a gentleman accepted Christ after he received a pair of glasses. He was a professional waiter who worked for private events. The following day he returned to the outreach with several pump-pots of hot drinks, which he proceeded to serve with great style to each worker. “You have given me a great gift and served me. Now I want to serve you,” he stated. He returned to serve us each day, even bringing his identical twin brother to hear the same good news he had received.
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