My name is Ricardo and I am thirteen years old. I come from Namibia, a wonderful country. We have many beautiful animals and it is much like Colorado, very dry.

I can see well now after my surgery. As my eyes are now well, I can play soccer much better and I can also do my homework much better. I am glad that I can see much, much, much better!

Ricardo Geikhaub

Third Grade

Community Hope School

Ricardo started life out as a disadvantaged orphan. As poor as he was, his granny never let him down. She raised him as her own and prayed into his life a wonderful destiny for her boy. Ricardo was one of the first ten orphans who attended Community Hope School in 2005. From the moment he first squinted at me with his mischievous grin, I knew there was something wrong with his eyes. Watching him attack problems, engage with people or kick a soccer ball around the dusty playground, you'd never know he was legally blind.

When Ricardo was diagnosed with advanced kerataconus, I took a leap of faith to believe God to give him new eyes. My prayers were answered the same day I asked some of my friends at a church in Colorado if they would pray for his eyes. That very day, I received an email from Dr. Jim informing me that the Mission of Healing Eyes would arrange a corneal transplant and cover all the costs to help Ricardo see.

In late September 2011, Ricardo and I arrived in Denver traveling from Namibia Africa. Dr. Jim, made all the arrangements for the boy to receive his cornea transplant. Suddenly Ricardo's world has gotten much bigger! Even so, the changes don't seem to faze him, he is still the small boy who enjoys every moment and finds joy in every person he meets. I would say that his new eyes have not changed him, but rather enhanced his life.

Spending almost every waking moment with Ricardo has changed me; I'm going to miss him and I'm looking forward to see how this boy will impact our world!

Suzanne Hunter - Director

Community Hope School

Namibia Africa

I first learned about Ricardo when John and Suzanne Hunter (from Community Hope School) visited The Rock Church in Castle Rock, Colorado. She described Ricardo’s condition and I prayed how the Mission could respond? Dr. Jim contacted Suzanne and John and offered the Mission’s help. After first trying to arrange for a surgeon in Namibia for Ricardo, it became apparent that the conditions, availability of a skilled surgeon, and obtaining donor tissue prohibited the surgery from being done in Namibia. This surgery required a consistent and regular follow up care and it was determined to bring Ricardo to the US.

Dr. Jim then contacted a Colorado Corneal Specialist, Dr. Bill Richheimer, and he graciously agreed to perform his surgery. After just the first day after his surgery, Richardo was seeing 20-80! After a week he was able to see and read! Dr. Habhab from Dr. Jim’s office agreed to fit him with a contact lens in his other eye, and Ricardo’s site was restored!

Ken Kahn, Web Site Mananger

Mission of Healing Eyes