History, Philosophy, and Goals

Benevolent Missions International (BMI) exists to render ophthalmic medical and surgical care to those, nationally and internationally, who live where such care is normally unavailable and/or those who cannot afford such care when it is available. 

BMI was incorporated in 1992 to give formal structure to medical missionary work that began with an initial ophthalmology trip to Hospital St. Croix, Leoganne, Haiti in 1974. Dr. C. Downey Price, ophthalmologist, made this initial trip and several additional ones to Haiti with family members to clinically and surgically care for the eye diseases and eyeglasses needs of the very poor of that country. Dr. Price and his family took all of the equipment, eyeglasses, and medications needed for this work with them and treated each patient free of any expense. Over 500 patients were cared for on the initial trip and on each succeeding one. The mission work in Haiti progressed to sending many complete clinical/surgical teams staffed entirely by medical and lay volunteers and included work on site to revise clinical and surgical areas and fully equip those facilities.

Upon their return to the U.S., Dr. Price and his family shared their realization of the extreme needs of the Haitian people with individuals, civic/service organizations, churches and other religious entities. This resulted in abundant offers of services by groups and individuals to staff the work teams, aid in pre-trip preparations, and help finance the purchase of eyeglasses, medications, and equipment.

In 1976, Rev. B.T. Williamson joined Dr. Price on a Haiti mission trip. At the completion of this trip, the two volunteers began to coordinate their efforts as medical director and project administrator for all of the mission trips since that time. The history of medical missionary work accomplished by Dr. Price and Rev. Williamson, prior to the incorporation of BMI, included ophthalmology clinical/surgical trips to Haiti, ophthalmology clinical/surgical trips to Belize, C.A. beginning in 1986, and ophthalmology clinical trips to Bolivia, S.A. beginning in 1986. In all cases, all of the eyeglasses, medications and medical supplies, medical equipment, and services were donated completely free of charge to the people served.

The formalization of this work in 1992 into the organization of BMI and the achievement of a 501(c)(3) IRS status has permitted the necessary vehicle to enable Dr. Price, Rev. Williamson, the ophthalmologists, optometrists, anesthetists, nurses, technicians, and many lay volunteers to make their pro bono services available to an increasing number of men, women and children in need of this care. Since incorporation in 1992, with the medical/surgical direction of then President, Dr. C. Downey Price, the project and programing direction of then CEO, Rev. B.T. Williamson, and the organizational, administrative and financial direction of Edna Price, BMI has sent ophthalmology teams to Belize, Bolivia, Burundi, Costa Rica, and El Salvador, Fiji, and American Samoa. BMI has also sent dental teams to Belize and El Salvador and BMI volunteers have worked in the U.S. screening children in day care centers, preschools and health fairs for possible vision and hearing problems. BMI currently works internationally sending three ophthalmology mission teams to Belize and one ophthalmology mission team to Fiji each year.

The first construction project, overseen by a contractor, David (Duke) Walker, volunteering his time and expertise, was completed in early 1995 in Bolivia. This is a fully equipped surgical/recovery facility funded by contributions made to BMI, designed by donated architectural services, and built by the Bolivian people. Use of this new facility was initiated by BMI in June of 1995 with a team of ophthalmic surgeons. The facility was a gift from BMI to APSAR, the Bolivian organization that serves the very poor in Mallco Rancho.

The second construction project, overseen by the same contractor, was completed in the fall of 1997. This two story building is approximately 5000 square feet and was initially used as an ophthalmology clinic equipped by BMI, general medical clinic, dental clinic, and regional teaching center for local health care providers. In 1998, surgery suites were added to the second floor of the building and equipped with the cooperative effort of BMI and Friends of ASAPROSAR located in Massachusetts. Actual surgical use of the building began in 1999. Additionally, an optical lab was fully equipped by BMI, and became fully operational all year to make eyeglasses according to a doctor’s prescription. This building was a gift from BMI to ASAPROSAR, the organization in El Salvador that serves the very poor in Santa Ana.

The continual goals of BMI are (1) to directly provide ophthalmic clinical and surgical care to those in need where there either is no such care available or the care is unaffordable, (2) to medically educate the local health care personnel to care for their own people, and (3) to medically equip facilities to make it possible for these people to have at least adequate ophthalmic medical and surgical care.