How a Cataract Surgery in Northern Uganda Helped a Father See His Daughter Again
Amigos Internacionales • August 8, 2025
I Can See Her Now”: Blake Johnes and the Miracle at Burpong Medical Clinic
Blake Johnes had not seen his daughter in three years.
At 73, Blake had lost everything familiar. Blindness took his vision. Then his wife left. Only his daughter remained—guiding him, feeding him, holding on when others let go.
He lived in Lamwo District in Northern Uganda. A place where many suffer in silence. Medical care is far, expensive, and often unavailable. For Blake, hope had run out long before help arrived.
But then came a voice on the radio.
It spoke of a free medical camp in Palabek Ogili. A partnership between Missionpoint Africa, Doctors on Mission International, and local leaders. It promised real care—vision screenings, cataract surgeries, dental treatment, and spiritual support.
His daughter didn’t hesitate. She brought him to the camp, praying for a miracle.
And on August 3rd, it happened.
Blake’s cataracts were removed by our team. Hours later, the bandages came off.
Tears flowed as light broke through.
Blake saw his daughter again. Her face—the same one that had guided him through darkness—was now the first thing he saw. He wept. She wept. Nurses, doctors, and volunteers wept.
This is what access to medical care looks like in places like Northern Uganda.
This is what access to medical care looks like in places like Northern Uganda.
Not complex systems.
Not endless infrastructure.
Sometimes, it’s as simple—and as profound—as restoring sight.
And for families like Blake’s, that moment changes everything.
Stories like Blake’s are happening because people choose to bring medical care where it doesn’t exist.
Healing had come—not just to his eyes, but to his heart.
This is why we go. This is why Missionpoint exists. Not just to treat symptoms, but to restore dignity. To reflect God’s love in word and deed. To meet people in their pain and walk with them toward hope.
To every partner, donor, and prayer warrior—you made this possible.
Blake sees again. And with that sight, a new life begins.
About Amigos International & the Missionpoint Medical Camps
Amigos International exists to serve the vulnerable through sustainable development and faith-based outreach in some of the hardest-to-reach areas. Our Missionpoint Medical Camps are a direct response to the critical lack of access to healthcare in rural Uganda.
These camps bring together doctors, nurses, dentists, eye specialists, volunteers, and spiritual leaders to offer free medical, dental, vision, and ultrasound services. More than that, we bring prayer, encouragement, and the message of hope in Christ.
Each camp lasts 2–3 days and reaches thousands of people with physical healing and spiritual care. Together with our partners at Doctors on Mission International, we’re building bridges of trust, restoring health, and changing lives—one patient, one village, one miracle at a time.
Why Cataract Surgery Matters in Uganda
Because:
- Cataracts remain a leading cause of blindness globally
- In rural regions, access—not ability—is the barrier
- Many cases are treatable with simple procedures
Want to be part of the next story?
There are still fathers waiting.
Still, families are separated by something that can be treated.
Still villages where access to care doesn’t exist.
You can be part of the next story.
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In Gisuru, Burundi, 81% live in poverty and children walk miles for water. Amigos MissionPoint Burundi brings free medical care to those who've never seen a doctor. Give today.
Texas nonprofit delivers $10M in medical care on $185K — 36 cleft palate surgeries in 3 days in Uganda. Featured in the Tyler Morning Telegraph, April 2026.
Learn how church missions in Africa, through partnerships with Amigos Internacionales, can bring lasting change to communities in need. Get involved in education, healthcare, and development projects.
Discover the resilience of refugees in Northern Uganda and how Amigos Internacionales is providing medical care, education, and empowerment to help rebuild lives.
Deadly floods and landslides have displaced families in Malawi’s Mulanje and Phalombe districts, leaving them without shelter or food. Learn how emergency tents and food relief can bring hope—and how you can help today.
From 15–19 March 2026, relentless heavy rains triggered destructive flooding across southern Malawi, leaving a trail of shattered homes, damaged fields, and grieving families in districts like Mulanje and Phalombe. As a Christian medical and community ministry , Amigos Internacionales’ Missionpoint Malawi is on the ground, helping families survive this disaster and begin to rebuild their lives. A Disaster on a National Scale
Perpetua’s story in Tanzania reveals the daily reality of living with sickle cell and how compassionate medical care and faith bring hope to vulnerable children.
Learn about the water crisis in rural Uganda and how Amigos Internacionales is providing sustainable, clean water solutions to transform lives and communities.
Learn how child sponsorship in Africa transforms lives in Uganda through education, healthcare, and long-term community impact.
A Ground Prepared Together Loyobo, Uganda — March 2026 There is a quiet theology unfolding in Loyobo. Before any patient is seen, before medicines are distributed, before prayers are spoken over the sick—there is soil being turned. There are hands pressing into earth. There is a community preparing space. In these early days leading up to the medical camp on March 27–28, the people of Loyobo are not waiting for care—they are making room for it. Men and youth gather under open skies, clearing land that will soon receive both bodies and stories. The ground, once wild and overgrown, is becoming a place of welcome. This is not simply preparation; it is participation. It is dignity taking form in action.
Discover why children in rural Africa lack access to life-saving surgery and how Amigos Internacionales is providing hope through medical missions.
The most expensive decision is often the one that does nothing When people talk about the cost of a water well, they usually mean drilling, equipment, labor, and maintenance. Those costs are real. They matter. However, the bigger question is often ignored. What does it cost when a well is never drilled? In East Africa, that answer is measured in sickness, lost time, missed school, and stalled progress. It is also measured in futures that never fully open. A village without clean water does not simply lack convenience. It lacks a foundation. Unsafe water keeps families trapped in preventable illness The first cost is health. When families depend on ponds, surface runoff, or contaminated collection points, disease spreads fast. The World Health Organization warns that contaminated drinking water can transmit diarrhoea, cholera, dysentery, typhoid, and polio. WHO also estimates that unsafe drinking water causes about 505,000 diarrhoeal deaths each year. That number is global. Yet the daily reality feels painfully local. A child drinks unsafe water. That child gets sick. A mother stays home to care for him. A father loses work hours. A clinic visit costs money the family did not plan to spend. Then it happens again. This is what “no well” really costs.
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“Discover how Amigos Internacionales brings life‑changing surgery to vulnerable children in rural Uganda, bridging the healthcare gap with compassionate care.”
In the rural communities of Mulanje District, there are children who wake up every morning ready to learn—but without the tools they need to understand the world around them. They are deaf. And in Malawi today, far too many of them are still waiting for a fair chance at education. At Missionpoint Malawi, in partnership with Amigos International, we are encountering a growing number of deaf children across Mulanje who are eager to learn, connect, and thrive. Yet their path to education is filled with barriers—systemic, social, and economic. This is a call not just for awareness—but for action. The Reality of Deaf Education in Malawi Since the early 2000s, Malawi shifted from a special education model to an inclusive education system. The vision was admirable: to integrate deaf children into mainstream classrooms alongside hearing peers. However, the implementation has revealed serious gaps. Across Malawi, more than 500,000 people are deaf or hard of hearing . Many of these children face: Limited access to quality education A severe shortage of trained teachers in Malawian Sign Language (MSL) Lack of learning materials tailored to deaf students Social isolation in mainstream schools Stigma and discrimination Extreme poverty that prevents access to boarding schools for the deaf While inclusive education is the national policy, many mainstream schools are not equipped to meet the educational needs of deaf learners. Teachers often lack training in sign language. Classrooms move at a pace that excludes deaf children from comprehension. Over time, many children withdraw—not because they lack intelligence, but because they lack access. Isolation Inside the Classroom Qualitative research conducted through Amigos International Mississippi–Malawi in three schools for the deaf and two mainstream schools revealed a troubling pattern. Deaf children in mainstream schools frequently reported: Feeling isolated and lonely Struggling to follow lessons Being unable to communicate effectively with teachers or peers Some children eventually leave mainstream schools and seek enrollment in special schools for the deaf—where they can communicate freely with deaf peers. But these schools are typically boarding institutions, and the costs are too high for many families living in poverty. As a result, some deaf children face an impossible choice: Attend a mainstream school where learning is limited, or Drop out because they cannot afford specialized education. No child should have to choose between belonging and learning. The Situation in Mulanje District In Mulanje alone, Missionpoint Malawi has already identified 60 deaf children in need of immediate support. And early outreach suggests the true number across the district is significantly higher. These children need: Access to Malawian Sign Language instruction Trained teachers or interpreters Specialized teaching materials Safe, inclusive learning environments Community support that reduces stigma Without intervention, many will remain excluded from meaningful education, limiting their future opportunities for employment, independence, and dignity. A Vision for Inclusive and Dignified Support At Missionpoint Malawi and Amigos International, we believe disability inclusion is not optional—it is essential to holistic community transformation. Our vision in Mulanje includes: Partnering with a local Deaf NGO to provide technical guidance Training teachers in Malawian Sign Language Providing learning materials tailored for deaf learners Creating community awareness to reduce stigma Supporting families facing extreme poverty Establishing structured programs that ensure deaf children are not left behind This initiative aligns with our broader commitments to: Education empowerment Child protection Community development Poverty alleviation Faith-based transformation rooted in dignity and compassion When we invest in a deaf child’s education, we are not offering charity—we are unlocking potential. Why This Matters for Malawi’s Future Education is not simply about literacy. It is about identity, opportunity, and voice. When deaf children are excluded: Communities lose future leaders Families remain trapped in poverty National development slows But when deaf children are included: They gain confidence and agency Families experience hope Communities grow stronger The question is not whether deaf children can learn. The question is whether we will provide the access they deserve. How You Can Help This is where compassionate partners and donors make the difference. Your support can help: Train a teacher in Malawian Sign Language Provide educational materials for a deaf child Support outreach to identify more deaf children in Mulanje Establish partnerships with disability-focused organizations Reduce stigma through community awareness programs Every gift becomes a bridge—connecting isolation to inclusion. We are preparing to expand our outreach and will soon document additional deaf children and families in Mulanje. As we meet disability communities across the district, we will share more stories and opportunities for partnership. Together, we can ensure that deaf children in Malawi are no longer invisible.
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