Our first ten years been very impactful,
as God has been working through us.
Join us in prayer as we plan for the future of Sight for Souls!
You can download our prayer calendar below, and please follow along as we pray specifically on each day.
Transforming lives and communities through the gift of sight for the body and soul.
Sight for Souls is blessed to have many partners, whether they are the people and organizations we work with in Ethiopia, the volunteers who offer their services, and you, donors and prayer partners, all of whom help us to do what we do. Nothing that we do is done without all these different partners investing in a relationship with Sight of Souls. We are sure that we can do more to appreciate and bless you and all our partners, but it is not always easy to know the best ways to do that. We seek to improve our communication, share our successes and struggles, and build up the work of this organization together to the glory of God.
Verse for the day: Philippians 2:3-4
Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.
Sight for Souls growth includes plans for small scale eye clinics to be established in rural centers around Ethiopia. This is a long-term vision that requires us to have an NGO registration in country and then support doctors in opening clinics and in poor communities where they can make a personal living while providing consistent eye care that will have great long-term impact for a rural town. For $100,000 we can open our local office, hire staff, provide mentoring and trainings and begin to acquire ophthalmology equipment that can be used to pilot small clinic models with local doctors.
Verse for the day: Galatians 6:10
"So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith."
It is our hope that we will be able to travel to meet with our donors and supporters in person in 2024. We would love to hold a fundraising dinner in Pennsylvania in the spring and another maybe in Boston, in the fall. A fundraising dinner will allow us to talk in person and share about the work that we do the needs that we face. But we cannot do this without your prayers and support. We need volunteers to help with the planning of the venue, meal and program as well as the support for the travel and accommodations while in these locations.
Verse for the day: 1 John 5:14-15
"And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him."
As we make plans for the future, the Sight for Souls team wants to grow our relationship with our supporters. We enjoy getting messages from you and hearing about how God is working in your lives. Connecting with many of you on a personal level is a goal for this year. The gifts that are received are just as important as the work that we do on the ground—nothing can be done without the financial support that we receive. Thank you for this!
Verse for the day: 1 Corinthians 14:26
"What then, brothers? When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up."
Sight for Souls founder and president, Dr. Kempen, has been carrying the bulk of the work for the organization in Ethiopia for several years and he is in need of administrative support. Not only does the addition of support and coordination by a staff member free up his time for medical work and research, but it is needed to move the organization forward. We are in need of an additional $65,000 in 2024 to provide for full time administrative coordination for our work in Ethiopia. Without this, we risk limiting the impact that we can continue to provide through the work done by Dr. Kempen, as his responsibilities are simply beyond the capacity of one person.
Verse for the day: James 1:17
"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change."
The Bible says that if we seek we shall find, and if we ask it shall be given to us. Over the past 10 years, Sight for Souls has seen God at work as we have supported the growth of ophthalmology in Ethiopia. Through trainings, research, fellowship programs, surgeries and partnerships, God has blessed our work. As we long forward, we are seeking additional financial partners to help us scale what we do.
Are you looking for a way to give back and serve? Are you looking for an organization that matches your interest and focus? Consider partnering with Sight for Souls by donating to our work as part of your end of year donation each year, or though monthly giving. Please do contact us if you want to know more about what we do.
Verse for the day: 2 Corinthians 9:11
"You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God."
Today, as we are at the end of this month-long prayer journey, and ready for a new year, we are thankful for the opportunity we have to serve people of Ethiopia through our work. With each day and each donation, our vision of transforming lives and communities through the gift of sight for the body and soul impacts another person, family and community.
We look forward to connecting with you throughout the coming months and years.
Verse for the day: Psalm 28:7
"The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him."
There are many complexities to consider as we determine our strategies for the next 3,5 and even 10 years, God willing. How can we continue to expand our impact and scale the work that we do? Registration in Ethiopia of Sight for Souls will provide greater freedom to reach our vision, but will bring new complexities, such the need for an office, more staff and more resources. The ability to receive grants directly would mean that we could plan more activities to support those who most desperately need clinical care or surgery. We are now in a position to consider embarking on additional work, whether based in the MCM Eye Unit or something new (or both).
Verse for the day: Proverbs 12:15
"The way of fools seems right to them, but the wise listen to advice."
As Sight for Souls staff and volunteers, we seek to do God’s will through our work. Our work in Ethiopia of transforming lives and communities through the gift of sight for the body and soul includes the practical aspect of treatment for the body as we see patients and address the health of their eyes. But it is through our work that we are to live out our faith in the way that we interact with others. We can be a beacon of light to those who do not know God’s goodness by treating everyone with dignity and respect, just as Jesus did in His ministry. Even during times of struggles we are to bring our concerns to Him and He will give us the strength to continue to reflect His goodness through us.
Verse for the day: Colossians 3: 23-24
"Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ ."
Being the scenes of all the work that happens for Sight for Souls are many hours of planning and administrative tasks. This work is what allows our Eye Unit to operate smoothly, our finances to be tracked and attested to the government authorities and our grants and projects to be written and implemented. We are thankful that we have been blessed with board members and staff who are skilled in ensuring that what we do gets done well. As we look forward to what God has in store for us over the coming years, we know that it takes all of us to make our activities and outreach projects successful.
Our current outreach project through the Eye Unit has brought many people lifechanging surgery that has restored their health. These outreach activities take place many times a year, in partnership with local churches, who provide free space where we can see the people in the community. As we look to expand this outreach and other activities there is much that needs to be done.
Verse for the day: 1 Corinthians 12: 12-14
"There is one body, but it has many parts. But all its many parts make up one body. It is the same with Christ. We were all baptized by one Holy Spirit. And so we are formed into one body. It didn’t matter whether we were Jews or Gentiles, slaves or free people. We were all given the same Spirit to drink. So the body is not made up of just one part. It has many parts."
From time to time, we have had the opportunity to travel to several rural villages in Ethiopia with Ethiopian doctors and provide clinical care for patients who are not able to travel to Addis Ababa, where most of the ophthalmology care is provided. There we were able to treat patients. Since that time, in part due to covid and the civil war (and ongoing unrest), we have had to focus our outreaches closer to home.
Verse for the day: Jeremiah 29: 11
"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope."
Sight for Souls is blessed to work with many wonderful people in Ethiopia. But we see the needs that are around us and we know that by expanding our local partnerships and relationships, that together we can increase the impact to those who suffer with visual impairment.
There are many non-government organizations who work in complimentary areas of eye care and sometimes there is more that can be done if we work together and share our skills and resources.
Verse for the day: Ecclesiastes 4:9-10
"Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!"
Growth is a natural part of an organization. Currently Sight for Souls is working on growth strategies, and this means that some change is unavoidable. But change can also be stressful. As the Sight for Souls board and staff work through these natural progressions, new systems of communication and other operations will slowly fall into place, but they are bound to be accompanied by strong feelings.
Verse for the day: Ephesians 4:16
"From whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love."
Working in ministry can at times feel like a thankless task. We give so much of our time, energy, and resources to supporting others that we can forget to be thankful; thankful for the opportunity to serve, thankful for what we have, thankful for having people around us to support and encourage us.
When you live and work in a third world country like Ethiopia, we should feel gratitude for what we have in relation to those around us; a roof over our heads, food to eat, education and the ability to travel to visit family to name just a few. Yet often we consider more quickly what we lack; good internet, consistent electricity, missing our favorite foods in the grocery stores, missing family for the holidays. Sometimes we need to work extra hard to be thankful and make it a routine in our day.
- Please pray that we never forgot that God is good and that he cares for us.
- Pray that we give generously to others around us as He gives to us.
- Pray that we always treat others with kindness and consideration.
Verse for the day: 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
"Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."
We are proud to serve an average of 70 patients every day at the Eye Unit of the MCM hospital. Of these around 15% are children. An average of 40 eye surgeries are performed here every month. Most of these are patients that live in Addis Ababa who can afford to pay a small fee to come for a check-up or treatment. Through the eye unit, Sight for Souls also runs outreach programs regularly with churches or other partners which take place in different parts of the city, where our doctors see patients on the premises. These outreach programs are free to anyone in the community and those that have more severe visual problems are scheduled for free treatment at the hospital at a later date.
Verse for the day: Psalm 30:2
" O Lord my God, I cried to you for help, and you have healed me."
Sight for Souls partners with the Myungsung Medical College, and every year students studying to be ophthalmologists can complete training in the Eye Unit with our doctors. In August, Dr. Kempen's Uveitis Fellowship application for certification was approved by the Ethiopian Ministry of Health, which will allow his first fellow, Dr. Emebet to train new uveitis specialists, increasing the potential number of new specialists in Ethiopia. The new fellow, Dr. Yemisrach has just started her one-year training this past week. She is from a government hospital in Addis Ababa, and on the days that she is not working alongside Dr. Emebet and Dr. Kempen, she will be starting to build up a uveitis department at the hospital/ophthalmology residency program where she works, which is a great benefit to many more patients.
Verse for the day: Titus 2: 7-8
" Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us."
Sight for Souls has been partnering with the MCM Comprehensive Specialized Hospital (formerly Myungsung Christian Medical Center) in Addis Ababa Ethiopia since 2016. The MCM Eye Unit is a joint initiative of Ethiopian and American ophthalmologists to provide world class clinical care and serve as a leader in advanced training for doctors and eye care personnel in Ethiopia. The partnership between Sight for Souls and MCM has advanced training for Ethiopian doctors, treatment for patients in need of specialized care and provided much needed ophthalmology equipment. By working together, the Eye Unit became self-supporting in its 5th year, while still being able to offer free eye care through the outreach program and for truly needy patients presenting to our clinic.
Verse for the day: Romans 15: 5-6
" May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ."
Sight for Souls places a high value on research. It is a big part of the work that is being done by founder John Kempen, who also mentors many students involved in research. Trachoma is an area we are actively researching so as to learn better what to do for this problem affecting 10s of millions here in Ethiopia. The FLAME Trial is another very extensive research project that we are working on, with several local partners. This emphasis that is placed on completing research ensures that accurate data is available which provides much needed information on the reality of vision issues in the region, trends and successes. This also influences future activities and research projects.
Verse for the day: Proverbs 25: 2
"It is the glory of God to conceal things, but the glory of kings is to search things out."
Vision impairment can be a lifelong condition and treatment is not always possible. For Ethiopian adults who suffer from blindness or severe visual impairment, life is very different than for a blind person in the West. Independence is not valued to the same degree as in the West and so there are always people around to support a blind person. Extended family generally live together and support each other, pooling their belongings, resources, and their income. But the difficulty of a blind family member to contribute to the household can sometimes be stressful, as there is very little work available for them, and they usually cannot go places by themselves. Without the social systems in place to provide support, family members rely on each other for everything that they do. It is wonderful to see how blind individuals are encouraged and assisted by family, friends, and strangers to do the things that we all take for granted.
Verse for the day: Luke 14: 13-14
" But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just."
Being blind is a disability that affects children all around the world. Access to resources and support varies however, and in Ethiopia blind children face many struggles. Children with any type of ailment, especially in rural communities, are often alienated and hidden from the community as people believe that it is the sins of the parents that have afflicted the health of the child. While these beliefs are starting to change due to education, they do persist. Adding to this the lack of resources, blind children are often relegated to a life of desolation in a corner of their small home. In rural communities they are more prone to accidents and especially burns as the land is uneven and they live in homes where the meals are cooked over a charcoal stove in the only open floor space in the home. 90% of blind children in Ethiopia do not go to school, and parents manage the best they can, guiding a blind child around their small world with a stick, using general radio programs and family conversations to provide a basic education. Ethiopia does have several schools for the blind, which are often run as boarding schools, and run by non-government organizations. The capacity of the schools is far less than the need.
Verse for the day: Matthew 19: 14
But Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven."
Sight for Souls is thrilled to announce that in October we received the last of the equipment that was part of a USAID grant for the Eye Unit at MCM. You can read more about that below. We thus have high quality equipment for the work that we do, probably the best in the country. However, supplies can also be a big issue. There are no factories in the Ethiopia that make medical supplies of any type, much less specific items needed for eye surgery. Importing these supplies into Ethiopia can only be done by import companies and they do not see a priority for these items when the shortage of foreign currency can delay orders indefinitely. This causes delays for surgeries which impacts our patients.
Verse for the day: Philippians 4:6
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God."
Ethiopia, where Sight for Souls works, has the second largest population in Africa (122 million), and has among the blind people in the world (adjusting for age), mostly from reversible or preventable causes like cataract, near-sightedness, trachoma, glaucoma, uveitis, and others and Ethiopia has the worst burden of trachoma in the world.
In the West, there are a lot of services available to irreversibly blind people. Blindness still is a tragedy, but people can learn to read Braille, to navigate with a white cane, and use many other resources to gain skills to function independently. Resources like these are almost unavailable here and so people who are blind are largely dependent on others. They cannot farm, labor, or participate in any work with rare exceptions and blind children are generally not educated. They are often viewed as a weight on their family. With the digital revolution bringing more technological communication, banking, etc, to Ethiopia, the blind are also unable to participate.
Verse for the day: Psalm 146:8
"The Lord opens the eyes of the blind; The Lord raises up those who are bowed down; The Lord loves the righteous "
Blindness in Ethiopia is especially tragic when one realizes that around 80% of blindness is unnecessary, and often reversible with treatment or preventable had treatment been applied. This need is why we are passionate about reaching people with visual impairment here with affordable or free/subsidized vision-saving service; with training for more Ethiopian professionals to be able to provide such services; and then scaling it on a greater level across the country. Compassion for the blind and those threatened with blindness is a wonderful opportunity to show the love of Christ with those who often have little hope in life.
Verse for the day: Luke 1:79
"To shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace."
The medical profession in Ethiopia is not easy. Getting into one of the government medical schools is difficult due to a shortage of spots being available. Private medical schools, such as the Myungsung Medical College (Sight for Souls partner), also receive about triple the number of applicants in relation to availability and may be cost prohibitive to some students.
Once doctors have finished their education, the work situation is also challenging. While there is plenty of need within government healthcare, salaries are low, especially in relation to the non-profit sector. Equipment and supplies are often below capacity or not always available and the numbers of doctors are still far below what is necessary for the country, especially in relation to specialties. Many health centers have been looted or destroyed in the civil war. But many Ethiopian doctors are committed to serving their community and providing the best care that they can offer, and they are making a difference in the lives of others.
Verse for the day: Phillipians 2:4
"Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others."
Poverty is one of the factors that increases the risk of blindness, and children are at great risk of trachoma, an eye disease that develops related to sanitation issues. Because of poverty, children live in conditions of poor sanitation due to a lack of water. Because of this, flies come into contact with human waste and transfer these particles to people’s faces—especially children and women—as they live and work in these unsanitary conditions. When these particles enter the eyes, it results in scaring on the inside of the eyelid causing the lashes to curl inward, causing extreme suffering and long-term visual impairment. We have all seen the pictures of children with flies on their faces, and we must remember that this has serious consequences.
Verse for the day: Matthew 19:14
Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."
Around the world, medical care is better in urban centers than in the rural communities. In Ethiopia, this disparity is very great, and many rural people are not able to make the trip to a large city for medical care. In fact, almost all specialized care that is available in Ethiopia is only available in Addis Ababa. This is true of eye care as well, and it is one of the reasons many organizations focus on outreach projects in the rural communities around the country. But a greater benefit would be the development of rural communities and infrastructure which would encourage doctors to settle and build practices in these areas of the country.
Verse for the day: Deuteronomy 15:11
"For there will never cease to be poor in the land. Therefore, I command you, ‘You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in your land.’ "
The Ethiopian Ministry of Health continues to work on improving the health services in the country and has made remarkable progress over the past years and continue to promote better access to health care across the country. With a 2.7% annual population growth rate, the task of implementing the second health sector transformation plan means that they partner with many donor organizations as they fulfill their vision “To promote the health and well-being of the society through providing and regulating a comprehensive package of health services of the highest possible quality in an equitable manner.” This is no small task for growing population.
Verse for the day: Daniel 2:21
"He changes times and seasons; he deposes kings and raises up others. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning."
Ethiopia has a long and complicated history, which is not surprising given that it is a country with an ancient history. Over the past century there have been continuous conflicts.
The conflicts that are currently taking place greatly impact the lives and wellbeing of everyone in the country, especially in the periphery of the country. It slows progress and pushes those who have an education to move abroad, depleting the country of much needed skills. Peace and a greater balance of prosperity are beneficial to improving the lives of so many people in this country.
Verse for the day: Psalm 34:14
"Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it."
We are blessed to have on our board a committed group of professionals who guide the vision of Sight for Souls. Many have been serving selflessly for the past ten years. Sight for Souls also has several staff in Ethiopia working towards our vision.
Verse for the day: Galatians 6:9
"And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up."
John Kempen is one of the founders of Sight for Souls and spent years before its establishment considering his calling and how he could serve a wider community through his profession. As the president of Sight for Souls, living in Ethiopia, he has firsthand experience with the impact that we are making as an organization.
John also has many professional responsibilities as part of his role with Sight for Souls, as a surgeon, researcher, editor, and educator. John is a father to Christopher, Natalie and Peter, a wife to Lori and a son to an aging father, and he is also a lay leader of St. Matthew’s church in Addis Ababa.
Verse for the day: 1 Samuel 12:24
"Only fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart. For consider what great things he has done for you."
Sight for Souls was registered with the IRS in the US in February 2014 and we began our work in Ethiopia in 2015. Here we partner with the Myungsung Christian Medical Center (MCM), now called MCM Comprehensive Specialized Hospital. This has been a great partnership for us, but we would love to expand our impact in the country. For some time, the board has been discussing the various options of registration in Ethiopia to be able to have greater impact with our work. This has many complexities, including the need for office space, more staff, constraints because of conflict in the country, formal project plans and project funding.
Verse for the day: Proverbs 16:9
"The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps."