Vision Logo Circle
Vision Logo Circle

Meet Alex 2.0!

by | Sat, Nov 23 2019

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That’s how I feel after returning from a week in a developing country; pretty much a whole new person. Back in August, I went with other Christian radio announcers to Nepal as the guest of CBM Australia. We were there to raise money on-air for their ‘Miracles Day’ campaign.

Little did I know how much of an impact the trip would have on my life. Nepal is among the poorest countries in the world; one-third of its population live below the poverty line and survive on just $2 a day. Our task there was to capture sights and sounds of Nepal, focussing on the work of CBM, and raising as many lots of $33 as we could. That’s all it costs for cataract surgery there!

To understand CBM’s work fully we spent the week broadcasting from the Biratnagar Eye Hospital. We interviewed patients, watched their surgery and witnessed the moment their eye patches came off. And it all started at 2 am! The Eye Hospital is unlike any hospital I’ve visited before. Each ward had over 100 single beds crammed together—no sheets, no air-conditioning, 45 degree heat plus humidity.

The most impacting experience was meeting and interviewing the patients who desperately needed the miracle of sight-saving surgery. I met Riya (12) and her older sister Najmin (16) who were both blind from birth. As a result they couldn’t read or write, they were shy and had no hope for their future. Their father cried as he expressed his sadness that they’d never seen his face. I watched their surgery and came back the following day for the moment their eye patches came off. It’s something I will never forget. I was VERY emotional. Can you imagine seeing your family for the very first time?

The biggest revelation for me was feeling God’s overwhelming love for His people and especially those who are in desperate need. If you haven’t been on a mission’s trip, do it!

You’ll come back a whole new person.