The Sunday News
Tatenda Gapare Sunday News reporter
WORD of Life Ministries last week provided Maphisa villagers with free eye checkups as part of the church’s 25th anniversary celebrations.
The week-long programme saw hundreds of villagers with eye cataracts converge at Maphisa District Hospital where doctors checked on them and where there was a need, also operated on them at no cost.
Founder of the church, Dr Goodwill Shana said their anniversary celebrations were in line with their vision; “affecting the communities for Christ in every sphere; spiritually, politically, economically, culturally and socially.”
“We chose to offer free eye medical health care because many people who suffer from eye cataracts are old, poor and dependent. They cannot afford to pay the $150 required for one to undergo an operation, our main aim was to assist old people so that their eyesight is restored and they become independent. True religion is all about helping the poor,” said Dr Shana.
He said as part of the anniversary celebrations they had been doing a number of charitable programmes which included donation of food to the poor, clean-up campaigns and paying fees for orphans.
“In Bulawayo’s Entumbane suburb we did a clean-up campaign and at Mtshabezi in Gwanda we offered free medical check-ups to villagers. We also adopted two orphans in Bulawayo whom we are paying fees for and also providing funds for their basic upkeep. In Harare and Chitungwiza we offered food aid and hygiene products to people living with disabilities and mentally ill patients.
“This is an ongoing exercise. As the church, it is our duty to also take care of people and largely this is incorporated in our vision as a church,” said Dr Shana.
Villagers interviewed by Sunday News paid gratitude to the church, noting that most of them had given in to their fate as they could not afford the eye operation to get rid of the eye cataracts.
“The free eye checkup was quite helpful to me because my eye has been operated on. I could not see well and walked all the way from Qinisela Village as I could not afford the required transport fares. I did not even carry food but they provided us with breakfast and lunch. Although the operation was free now I cannot afford to buy the pills written on my medical card,” said Mr Ezra Moyo.
Other villagers said they were hoping that more organisations come to their assistance by offering health care on other conditions.
“I thank the church for the free eye checkup they did in our community. I hope they will come again because we have other health problems affecting us,” said Mr Mavesi Maphosa.
