Preparations for Fiji

In September 2014, I made the decision to leave my busy optometric practice for a six month period to go to the country of Fiji with my wife (Ann) to provide humanitarian eye exams and glasses, starting in October 2015.   I figured that this would not only be an exciting adventure, but most importantly, it would be a small way I could pay back to those needy people in the world for the successful practice I’ve been blessed with all these years.

To help prepare for this trip, Ann & I went on a 10 day trip with the charitable group, “Canadian Vision Care” (CVC), to Jamaica in January 2015 to help provide free eye care and glasses to the needy in that country.  It gave us a chance to get oriented on how we can best do things in Fiji when we go.  We really enjoyed the experience, and came to love the people there.  It gave us just a small flavor of the joy that comes from helping others.

It’s been a busy year of preparation to make this dream a reality.  Different staff and doctors have been trained to take over various responsibilities in my absence.  A new doctor, Dr. Craig, was hired to take my place for the time I will be away.  All kinds of permits and legal paperwork have been completed.  Arrangements for different kinds of portable eye testing equipment and several different kinds of glasses, have been made.  I was able to secure 6000 donated used glasses from the Lion’s Club.  I would also like to thank my patients who have donated their old used glasses, as well.  We were able to collect over 1000 glasses from all of you.  You can feel good knowing that you helped provide the gift of sight to people who would normally not have the opportunity to receive an eye exam and glasses.

In early September, I was able to drop off 16 boxes containing 7000 used glasses, to be shipped by boat over to Fiji.  It will take about 5 weeks for the glasses to travel across the ocean to Fiji, which is about the same time we will arrive there.

We are looking forward to the opportunity of matching people, in the most remote parts of Fiji, to the closest prescription glasses from our large inventory of used glasses to provide them the gift of sight