WE HAVE DATES FOR 3 MISSIONS COMING UP IN 2025  IN GUATEMALA

We plan on doing 150 EYE SURGERIES & 750 EYE EXAMS at each location.

February 2nd to 8th in Guatemala City at the Santo Domingo Catholic Church

WE NEED 8 NURSES and 3 OPTOMETRIST for this trip.

Glenn Lashley COORDINATOR 

March 16th to 22nd – SAN MARCOS / TACANA GUATEMALA  Near the Mexican border.

NEED 3 OPHTHALMOLOGIST , 8 NURSES AND 3 OPTOMETRIST

MAY 18th – 24th – JAPAHATA GUATEMALA Near the El Salvador border.

NEED 3 OPHTHALMOLOGIST, 8 NURSES & 3  OPTOMETRIST

If interested in participating in any of these missions please email

Glenn Lashley – gmlashley99@gmail.com

GLENN LASHLEY – Eye For God Ministries & VOSH Southeast Mission Projects Coordinator

Christmas and Giving Tuesday is right around the corner. No better way to help but to Gift a VOSH Southeast Patreon Membership to your favorite person!

https://www.patreon.com/VOSHSoutheast/gift

Max R. Bruss 06/12/1939 – 08/18/2024

Max Bruss, founding member of VOSH Southeast, passed away last week. This tribute was written by fellow board member, Suzy Eberle.

My first encounter with Max was in 2003 when our church was interested in doing some version of a servant mission trip and looking for non-profits to partner with. Max and John Gehrig came and spoke with our group. John has a strong voice filled with wisdom and dry humor; he was the visionary that can make beauty out of ashes. Max was the quiet one, often only speaking when spoken to, forever the operational and tactical man. We were very impressed and decided immediately after our meeting that VOSH Florida was our new partner.

In May of 2004, John, Max myself and a dozen other people went to Nicaragua on my first ever foreign mission trip. Days were long at vision clinics, but I still cherish the nights where John, Max and myself would talk for hours in the rocking chairs about the day, mission work and life. Max taught me how to run an autorefractor, dispense glasses, calculate a spherical equivalent and operate a vision clinic in a mission field.

 

Those evenings began what would be a 20+ year friendship and partnership as Max and John asked me to join the VOSH board. Within weeks I was filling up my house with McDonald’s French fry boxes of dirty old used glasses to recycle and prepare for Max to ship to a litany of foreign countries.

With Max’s operational acumen, I learned to organize equipment and supplies in the ‘Tin Hut’ storage units in Ocala. He helped guide me to orchestrate a monthly vision clinic at Gainesville Community Ministries in partnership with volunteers from First Lutheran Church. The vision clinic served the homeless and sheltered people of Gainesville for several years. Max also helped me coordinate eyeglass recycling events on Saturday mornings with dozens of volunteers at First Lutheran Church. Thousands of glasses were processed and prepared for shipment with Max’s kind oversight. When an opportunity arose to host the world’s largest eyeglass recycling event in 2005, Max was all-in! In partnership with the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod’s National Youth Gathering, Max coordinated logistics and volunteers with trailers filled with supplies to clean, bag and box over 15,000 pairs of glasses collected and cleaned by youth in a just a couple of days.

 

After joining the VOSH Florida (now Southeast) board, Max helped guide me to orchestrating mission trips in Nicaragua on my own. His guidance on paperwork required with the Ministry of Health, optical equipment and supplies, in-country operations and sustainable care programs helped to serve thousands of patients in Nicaragua. In fact, since 2014, VOSH Southeast has hosted 25 vision clinics around the country, served just under 19,000 patients, dispensed over 20,000 glasses, coordinated 71 cataract and pterygium surgeries and shadowed 57 optometry students.

In addition, in 2009, we decided to set up a permanent optical lab in Nicaragua and Max was ready to ship all the equipment and supplies we would need for a full optical lab. That included lens shipments from China, equipment donated for optical students and the list goes on.

 

All of this said, this story isn’t about me, it’s about Max. Let’s think about the impact he had as he dropped that pebble in the water with me, the ripple effect it had. To recap:

• 18,698 patients served in vision clinics in Nicaragua

• 400 patients served at Gainesville Community Ministries

• 57 optometry students received hands-on training in the mission field

• 600+ volunteer optometrists, students and lay people participated in vision clinics

If you’re still reading, that’s close to 20,000 people Max impacted directly from mentoring myself. I am one of many and I smile thinking about the impacts he had on people in Peru, Cameroon, Dominican Republic, Paraguay, Mexico and many more countries.

Max was a true legend. A man of very few words but huge impact. His love language was acts of service. There will never be another Max Bruss, but we can carry on his legacy. I challenge you to serve someone this week and pay it forward, quietly and humbly in honor of him. Rest in peace Max.

Matthew 25: 34-40 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited

me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?  When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

To view Max’s full obituary, click here:

 https://www.robertsfunerals.com/obituaries/Max-Bruss/#!/Obituary

 

If you would like to make a donation to VOSH Southeast in honor of Max, please click here: 

https://voshsoutheast.org/how-can-i-help/donations/ 

Had a great trip to tacana Guatemala near the Mexican border we’re able to complete about 150 eye surgery and 700 eye exams and gave out a thousand pair of glasses lot of very poor people with no opportunity for Eye Care. Blessing.

Glenn

  THE NEXT 2 MISSIONS FOR 2024 ARE IN GUATEMALA

July 21st to July 28th 2024

TACANA , At a beautiful Catholic Compound near the Mexico Border.
Food Lodging and Transportation will be Provided by the Church and the City of Tacana.

Your Cost is  AIRFARE and Lodging if you have to overnight for your Flights.
We plan to do 130 Surgeries and 800 Eye Exams 

WE  HAVE A NEED FOR THIS TRIP  FOR   “2” OPTOMETRISTS ,  AND  “1” O.R. SCRUB NURSE

                              ****************************************

 
Oct. 13th to Oct. 19th 2024

JALPATAGUA , A small Catholic Hospital Compound near the El Salvador Border, We have been there many times with great accommodations and area to do Surgery and Eye Exams. We have great support from the hospital and the Local LIONS CLUB.

Transportation and Lodging will be taken care of.  Your Cost is $125 for Food and your AIRFARE.    We plan on doing 120 Eye Surgeries and 700 Eye Exams

WE HAVE A NEED  FOR THIS TRIP FOR  2 Ophthalmologists, 3 Optometrist,  & 6 Nurses & helpers

                              ****************************************
 

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE A PART OF HELPING THE POOR AND NEEDED OF GUATEMALA AND JOINING ONE OR BOTH OF THESE MISSIONS “PLEASE”

Email, text or call me for more information.

GLENN LASHLEY
Eye For God Ministries & VOSH Southeast
Cell – (386) 846-6293

gmlashley99@gmail.com

Dr. Greg Kane, former VOSH Southeast board member, passed away recently.

Greg was an active board member and participated in numerous mission trips to Nicaragua and Peru during his 34 years in private practice as an optometrist. We all have fond memories of him noting he was one of the good guys and had a heart of gold.

Greg had a way especially with pediatric patients on mission trips, making them feel at ease. We honor Greg for his many years of service in the optometry industry.

 Greg’s full obituary can be found here:

https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/palatkadailynews/name/gregory-kane-obituary?id=55183660

 Dr. Greg assisted these two boys in 2015 with their first-ever eyeglasses while on a mission trip in Nicaragua

Desperately need 2 more optometrists for the July Mission to Guatemala. Interested persons please contact Glenn.

 VOSH S/E AND EYE FOR GOD MINISTRIES

July 21 Sunday to July 27 Saturday ,TACANA ,GUATEMALA , At a Beautiful Catholic Compound near the Mexico Border,
Food Lodging and Transportation will be Provided by the Church and the City of Tacana.

Your Cost is AIRFARE and Lodging if you have to overnight for your Flights.

We plan to do 130 Surgeries and 800 Eye Exams

Interested persons please contact Glenn.

GLENN LASHLEY
Eye For God Ministries & VOSH S/E
Mission Projects Coordinator
1835 Mercers Hammock Ct
Deland, Florida 32720
Cell – (386) 846-6293

Slight change to our eyeglass ordering procedures. Each diopter must now be ordered in quantities of 50. All glasses are packed in sleeves of 50 so you will receive the entire sleeve. Our apologies but we can no longer break these packs out to recount.

Please keep this in mind when reordering.

COST OF READERS .75¢ each

+0.50,+1.00,+1.25, +1.50, +1.75, +2.00, +2.25, +2.50, +2.75, +3.00, +3.25, +3.50, and +3.75.  

High Plusses $1.00 Each

+4.00, +4.50, +5.00 and +5.50

Negative Spheres $1.50 Each

-0.50, -1.00, -1.25.-1.50, -1.75, -2.00,-2.25, -2.50, -2.75, -3.00, -3.25, -3.50, -3.75

High Negatives $2.00 Each

-4.00, -4.50, -5.00, -5.50

You will be responsible for the cost of shipping and the cost of shipping boxes.

Contact Max Bruss for Ordering

Max R. Bruss

VP Operations

VOSH Southeast 

maxobrusso@gmail.com

THE NEXT 2 MISSIONS FOR 2024 ARE IN GUATEMALA

July 21 to July 28
TACANA , At a Beautiful Catholic Compound near the Mexico Border,
Food Lodging and Transportation will be Provided by the Church and the City of Tacana.
Your Cost is only the AIRFARE and Lodging if you have to overnight for your Flights.
We plan to do 130 Surgeries and 800 Eye Exams .

WE NEED  A TOTAL OF 5 Ophthalmologists, 4 Optometrists, 6 Nurses & Helpers.

OPHTHALMOLOGISTS
Dr. Bert Bowden
Dr. Mark Gold
Dr. Matt Rucko

OPTOMETRISTS
Dr. Josselyn Patzan

NURSES
Connie Bowden
Lena Dueck

HELPERS
Alex Patterson OD Helper

———————————————————————————————–

Oct. 13 to  Oct. 19
JALPATAGUA , A small Catholic Hospital Compound near the El Salvador Border, We have been there many times with Great Accommodations and Area to do Surgery and Eye Exams. With great support from the hospital and the Local LIONS CLUB. Transportation and Lodging will be taken care of,  Your Cost is $125 for Food and your AIRFARE.    We will Plan on doing 120 Eye Surgery and 700 Eye Exams.

WE NEED A TOTAL OF 4 Ophthalmologists, 4 Optometrist, 6 Nurses & helpers.

OPHTHALMOLOGISTS
Dr. Bert Bowden

OPTOMETRISTS
Dr Josselyn Patzan

NURSES
Connie Bowden
Lena Dueck

HELPERS
Alex Patterson OD Helper

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE A PART OF HELPING THE POOR AND NEEDED OF GUATEMALA AND JOINING ONE ARE BOTH OF THESE MISSIONS “PLEASE”

Email , Text are call Me for more information.

GLENN LASHLEY
Eye For God Ministries & VOSH S/E
Mission Projects Coordinator
1835 Mercers Hammock Ct
Deland, Florida  32720
Cell – (386) 846-6293

gmlashley99@gmail.com

We are  short 2 optometrists for the Eye Mission May 8 to May 15 to The Beautiful Island of Elfero Guatemala on the Gulf of Honduras. Where we will do Eye exams for Glasses and for future Surgeres. We have all the equipment to use and Glasses at El Fero to be given out to the people.

We will be traveling each day from the retreat center by Boat are 4 Wheel drive Vehicles to remote Villages  to the poor and needy people in the area.  You will be blessed as you bless these Indigenous people Group.

PLEASE IF YOU ARE INTERESTED TEXT, CALL OR EMAIL ME.

BLESSING
GLENN LASHLEYEye For God Ministries & VOSH S/EMission Projects Coordinator1835 Mercers Hammock CtDeland, Florida  32720Cell – (386) 846-6293