After discussing how we can expand our Eyecare in Ethiopia and establish connections with the Health Minister to further our activities, the Ambassador expressed his sincere appreciation for our work saying that Operation Ethiopia truly “helps the helpless.”

He then taught us the saying “G-D will pay you.” “The people you treat are so poor, they cannot THANK YOU with money. But they are a RELIGIOUS PEOPLE and they believe that G-D WILL GIVE YOU YOUR REWARD, and that is the highest form of payment. So they say ‘G-D will pay you.’ When you give them back their EYESIGHT it is EVERYTHING, when you treat their problems, it helps so much.”

We were inspired by Ambassador Tesfaye Yetayeh Anteneh’s words as we prepare to leave for our medical mission in 6 days!

We PERFORMED OVER 100 tear duct bypass surgeries on patients from young children to seniors who’d been unable to get surgery and had therefore developed Dacryocystitis – infection in their eyes and faces, and in some cases cellulitis. Our surgical team worked morning to night all week to perform the complex surgeries. Prof. Morris Hartstein led the surgical team which included three local Ethiopian doctors – one of whom Dr. Hartstein had trained in Israel as part of Operation Ethiopia’s physician training program.

OR conditions in Ethiopia are quite different than in Israel – no suction, cauterization, general anaesthesia (for adults), or sometimes even lighting, but we adapt.

We are THRILLED to have provided treatment and relief to so many people!

The Israeli Ambassador praised our work for helping so many indigent people, and for our humanitarian work helping to enhance ties between Israel and Ethiopia. The Israeli Embassy in Ethiopia produced a video about our mission and you can watch it here!