Dr. Darol Bonander, O.D.

When Dr. Darol Bonander accompanied a youth group to Mexicali in 1992 as an Optometrist, he had no idea how far this adventure would take him - or the changes it would bring to vision based volunteer work.

On the first trip to Mexicali, which was a joint mission of doctors from Azusa Pacific University and volunteers from Team Luke, Dr. Bonander took glasses supplied by the Lion’s Club Eyeglass Recycling Program. Over the next ten years, he returned several times, streamlining the process a bit more each time.  Eventually, connections were made with a local lab who was able to make the glasses from prescriptions, allowing closer matches to actual strength requirements for the poor locals they were servicing.

In 2004, Darol met Don Rogers, from Empowering Lives International as he spoke about their program in Kipkaren, Kenya. It stressed teaching the locals how to do things for themselves so that change would last after the helpers left - an example used was dentists who had taught locals how to pull teeth, thus leaving skills behind. Darol was intrigued and arranged to accompany them on a future trip, thinking he might be able to teach them how to care for vision problems in the same way. 

Soon, Dr. Bonander and three others from his home church, joined a mission trip to the Cheboiywa Health Clinic in Kipkaren, taking a wide assortment of glasses from the Lion's Club with them. In order to serve a large group as efficiently as possible, Darol divided the team into different areas.  While some listened to the person in need describe their vision problem, others helped them try on the glasses in the areas they were directed to. Locals were taught how to do each of these tasks themselves. Julius, a local man learned how to use basic eye test equipment which the team was able to leave behind.

In future trips to the area, a relationship was formed with the Lighthouse for Christ Eye Center a full scope eye center in Mombassa, Kenya. Their on-site lab made it possible for glasses to be made locally. In addition, Julius was able to attend a 6-month program at the clinic where he learned more about eye care.

Between mission trips, Dr. Bonander found Shark Eyes, a company which provides over the counter glasses for nearsighted and farsighted at $1.00 each. This discovery helped him implement even further streamlining and vision correction to the poor. Around the same time, Darol met Adele from Empowering Lives International. Adele had a close eye doctor friend who had founded a non-profit organization. Through that non-profit, the Eye Clinic at Kipkaren is now fully equipped to provide vision care services to the surrounding community.

What had begun as a single mission trip for Dr. Bonander was now blossoming into an highly streamline and effective program of bringing teaching and eye care to poor areas in Africa.

On one of Darol's more recent volunteer trips, he joined with Joni & Friends' 2by2 Medical Outreach Program (featured in our December Newsletter). Their mission was in India this time, bringing glasses to people in need and leaving training and equipment behind when they left.

Thank you Dr. Bonander!