First Time VOSH’er When the opportunity arose to join a VOSH trip to Mexico this past January, I have to admit that I was a bit nervous. I hadn’t done any optometric volunteer work before and didn’t know many of the other people going on the trip. However, getting out of Minnesota in January was very tempting and I had heard great things about a coworker’s VOSH experience. I decided I was up for a little adventure and signed up. The town we worked in, Teacapan, is located on the … Read More
Mission Report Our trip this year was VOSH-MN’s third trip to the Philippines, and it was another good one! Fourteen volunteers headed out on a 17+ hour airplane odyssey that ended in Manila, where we all overnighted. Then it was off to the island of Busuanga, in the province of Palawan, another one hour flight. We worked first in the small village of San Jose, a remote farming area with no access to eye care. We had worked there 2 years ago, and saw some of the same people we … Read More
Mission Report Three optometrists (from NY, KY, and NC) and five optometry students from the University of Waterloo in Canada accompanied VOSH-MN President Bob Boeding to Ecuador in August 10-19th, 2011. They were hosted and stayed in the homes of The Club Rotario Portoviejo Reales Tamarindos. Within four days of clinic, they were able to serve 1,800 people with glasses! Of these people, they estimated that 20% were in great need of cataract removal. This number may seem high, however, they did serve many people from a nursing home. One … Read More
My wife and 11 year-old daughter and I traveled to Shell, Ecuador to join an ophthalmologist setting up an eye hospital in an existing mission hospital. We spent 3 days going out to jungle towns setting up screenings seeing 80-250 patients per day. We also spent one day in an orphanage seeing 60 orphans. In addition to screenings, we spent 5 days in the hospital seeing referrals and more complicated patients. Overall, it was a very successful trip with a lot of happy patients. We would return again given the … Read More
Doctors Larry and Michael Morrison from Morrison Eye Care would like to thank all of the volunteers who participated in, and helped support, the 2011 VOSH (Volunteer Optometric Services to Humanity), mission to Port Antonio, Jamaica. With out the countless hours of service and dedication from American and Jamaican volunteers the mission would not have been impossible. A special thanks needs to be given to Dr. Satya Parvataneni, (Dr.P) and the Jamaican people for their exceptional hospitality. Dr. P is a local physician in Port Antonio and an active member … Read More
A Real Eye-opener I soon found myself back to work at a nuclear plant once again occupied with regulatory and compliance issues. Nonetheless, I can still stop, think, close my eyes, and visualize any one of them standing beside me listening to my directions to look across the room and read me the letters or symbols on an eye chart telling me “Casi no puedo ver” indicating that he could barely make out the letters on the chart. I would then find myself looking into his reddened eyes partly covered with a whitish film that … Read More
PHILIPPINES I always knew that I wanted to be a part of a VOSH mission. Having worked in the optical industry for 19 years I’ve heard all of the amazing stories of faraway places and smiling faces. But when it came down to it, I got a little scared. My only travels outside of the United States had been to Mexico, Puerto Rico and Canada – not very exotic! I’m pretty sure I had the same hesitation and fears as most first time VOSH Volunteers. I need how many shots?!? Will I fit in with … Read More
Mission: Portoviejo, Ecuador By Jan Cartwright It has been one month since I have returned from my first VOSH Mission Trip. I have spent part of every day reflecting on my experience and trying to find the words to convey to family, friends and co-workers exactly how much this experience has enriched my life. I have yet to find the appropriate message to express the range of emotions I experienced during my travels and upon my return. I can only say that you have to live it to realize it. … Read More
The sixteen volunteers who made up the VOSH team to Honduras in March have participated in a whopping 277 missions all combined. Of the sixteen, there were seven first timers. Therefore, the phrase “VOSH Veteran” is a huge understatement for the rest of the group. The arrangements for this mission were part of a medical mission organized by the NE ELCA Synod of Minnesota. Talanga is in a poor area, a town with just one paved street. It is a farming region with some industry. This was the first eye … Read More
Feb.28-March 7, 2009 Larry Morrison, O.D. led a group of eleven to Port Antonio, Jamaica in March. This was a return trip to a location where a permanent clinic is being established. This year’s team included Dr. Brad and Jolene Meier, Dr. Larry, Pam, and Leah Menning, Brad and Janet Green, Tim and Cheri Bergien, and Dr. Larry and Joyce Morrison. The VOSH volunteers from Minnesota and South Dakota were hosted by the local Rotary Club. This was a small group of about 14 which supplied noon meals on the … Read More
