ASSEMBLIES OF GODJasmine* sat on the street in Port au Prince, Haiti. All around her was destruction. An earthquake had destroyed most of the buildings and killed thousands of people. Many people were injured and needed medical help.
But Jasmine couldn’t see any of it. Jasmine was blind. She had felt the rumblings of the ground under her feet, and she had heard the crashing of buildings and the cries of people who were hurt. Somehow, Jasmine had survived.
Jasmine had been blind since the age of six. The doctors tried surgery to save her eyesight, but the surgery failed. Over the years, Jasmine had tried eye doctors and glasses, but none could help. She couldn’t see even a spark of light.
During the weeks that followed the earthquake, Jasmine’s friends told her about people who had come to help Haiti. The Assemblies of God in the U.S. responded quickly to the disaster.
Thousands of tons of food had come through Convoy of Hope. Medicines and medical workers had come through HealthCare Ministries. But how could any of this help Jasmine?
One day, one of Jasmine’s friends came to her and said, “My eyeglasses were broken during the earthquake. There are people down the street who have brought glasses for us. Come with me, Jasmine. Maybe they can help you.”
Jasmine didn’t know if these people could help, but she let her friend lead her to the makeshift health station. Jasmine couldn’t see the tents that were set up by the HealthCare Ministries people, but she could hear the sounds all around her. Long lines of people waited to be cared for by the volunteer doctors, nurses, dentists, and optometrists (eye doctors).
Jasmine waited in line until the eye doctor was ready to see her. The news was not good. Without being able to see any light at all, no eyeglasses could help her. The eye doctor said that her only help would come from God, and he prayed for her.
A week later, Jasmine asked a friend to take her back to the HealthCare Ministries tent. She was beginning to see little bits of light. The eye doctor examined her, but there was still nothing he could do. So he prayed for her. Jasmine knew that there were many pairs of eyeglasses available in the tent. The glasses had been donated by people all across the U.S. Even Jasmine’s friend had received a new pair. Jasmine asked the eye doctor, “Isn’t there any pair of eyeglasses that will help me?”
The doctor said, “What can you see?” Jasmine answered, “I can see the shape of your head.” The doctor waved a hand in front of Jasmine’s eyes, but she did not respond. She could not see his hand. He said, “No eyeglasses are strong enough for you, since you can only barely see any light. I will give you the strongest pair that I have, but I don’t think it will do much good. I’m sorry.” Jasmine heard the doctor search through all the glasses he had brought in a suitcase. He brought a pair of very strong glasses to her and placed them on her head.
Suddenly Jasmine’s eyes were opened and the light came in. “Oh!” Jasmine exclaimed. “Look at all the pretty colors! Look at the beautiful flowers!” Jasmine had been led into the HealthCare Ministries clinic by a friend, but she walked out on her own, proclaiming the goodness of God. She could see! God answered the prayers of Jasmine and the healthcare workers. He opened her eyes so that the light could come in. Through the donations of others, He provided glasses that were just right for her. They fit her head perfectly, but more importantly, they fit her eyes perfectly.
Your gift of used eyeglasses to HealthCare Ministries is very important to others all around the world. Your gift of money to BGMC is also a big help to HealthCare Ministries. Because of your donations, doctors, nurses, and other healthcare workers are able to travel the world, wherever there is a need, and bring medicines, glasses, and other supplies.
Somewhere in the U.S., there is someone with a very strong prescription of eyeglasses. That person’s old pair is now being worn by Jasmine. Even the smallest donation can be used by God to bring great joy to someone in need.
Information for this story was provided by Paul Dean, volunteer worker for HealthCare Ministries, and is used with permission from Assemblies of God U.S. Missions.