Following is the story of Joseph and Michele Sansanelli and their calling, as told by Joseph, to serve in Panama with God’s Eyes.  The Sansanellis are members of FBC, Aledo.  You can watch a YouTube video about their ministry, and learn more how to support them here.

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My parents emigrated from Argentina to the U.S. just before I was born.  Like many, they had come to the States in pursuit of a better way of life.  Growing up in a Spanish-speaking home in New Jersey, I learned to speak English and Spanish at essentially the same time.   I was brought up Catholic and attended Catholic grammar school.  When I say that I was brought up Catholic, I mean that I had learned much about the religion in school but not much else.  My family did not attend church or pray at home.  We never talked about God.  My family didn’t own a bible or have any interest in acquiring one. Despite that, I believed we were destined for heaven based on the fact that we were relatively good people. Besides, there were more important things to think about than religion. 

I was taught at a young age that being a good provider for my future family would be my primary responsibility as a man, just the way it was for my father and his father.  I imagined that the better I would provide for my family, the better man I would be.  Ambitious, and driven by success, I had received my doctorate at age 25.  I continued pushing the envelope hard.  By age 32, I was at the helm of a thriving business consisting of three optometric practices.  People would often ask me why I had chosen to become an eye doctor.  My well-rehearsed response was always something like, “Well, I knew from an early age that I wanted to help people.”  This statement, on its own, is true.  I always wanted to help people, except it wasn’t what drove me.  First person on the list was me.  Building my kingdom was more important.

By society’s standard I was a success.  I had a beautiful wife, healthy children, a house at the shore, luxury cars and many pleasures that accompany worldly success.  I had achieved the American dream that my parents had set out for.  But I was living a lie.  Despite accumulating more and more, my wife and I were very unhappy and unfulfilled.  Our marriage was in trouble.  As many couples do when in trouble, we started attending different churches.  We even tried marriage counseling, but because we were living life for ourselves, our ears could not hear.  We knew that a drastic change was necessary but we didn’t know what that change would look like.

My family and I moved to Fort Worth from the Jersey shore in the summer of 2006.  Our hope was to start over, spending more time as a family.  We were still unaware of what would make us whole and where our restoration would come from.  God knew.  Within weeks of our arrival to Texas, we were invited to attend church services and a small group at Christ Chapel Bible Church.  We were hearing truth for the first time.  The miracle of heart transformation was occurring!  Our priorities started shifting.  We began to see how we had been placing idols before God.  And I began to see that my kingdom didn’t come first.  My wife and I, and children as well, came to know Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior that amazing autumn of 2006!  He saved our souls, our marriage and our future generations.

From the overflow of what God had given me, I was eager to give and to serve others.  And so, I became quite involved at church.  Through my eagerness, I was invited to be a table shepherd at the men’s bible study every Wednesday morning.  A table shepherd’s role was to lead a table of about 8-10 guys at discussion time, take attendance, etc.  I loved the time of fellowship and learning, and the discussions that would break out from the study.  Looking back, I can clearly see that God’s plan for me there was far greater than the study.  As we continually met, the guys got to know each other more and more.  Well, one of those guys at my table was Mike Myers.  Mike is the pastor of Beautiful Feet Ministry, a ministry for the homeless of Fort Worth.

I had expressed to Mike my interests in serving our Lord and so we made arrangements to meet down at Beautiful Feet for the first time.  I was willing to serve in almost any way except as the optometrist there.  You see, I had been practicing optometry for 20 years at that point.  Being void of Christ for most of my career, working as an eye doctor had not been fulfilling for me.  I wished to serve in any other capacity.

As Mike was giving me a tour of the ministry, one of Mike’s co-workers jumps out of the back room.  He had a large box on his shoulder and said, “Hey Mike, we just got this shipment of eyeglasses donated, what are we going to to do with them?”  So Mike quickly turned to me and prophetically said, “It’s a spiritual set up!!”  And I said, “No, that’s not for me!”.  Well, after a few weeks I realized that God had a different plan.

The Lord wanted to bless the homeless of Fort Worth, through me, as their eye doctor.  So, I did.  Once a week, folks are driven to my office by the “Feet” van for an eye exam and glasses.  And as is always the case, I was receiving the greater blessing!  The mornings the Feet Folk come had quickly become the sweet spot of my week.  I was not aware at the time but God was revealing to me His grand plan.

One morning at our men’s study, Mike handed me a brochure and said “I met this guy at a missionary conference.  He reminds me a lot of you, and you remind me a lot of him…and I think you guys ought to talk sometime.”  It was a brochure for God’s Eyes Ministry and the guy’s name is Bryan Kaiser.  The ministry based out of Peachtree City, GA is all about bringing eyeglasses and the Gospel to the poorest and most needy people in the world.  After reading the brochure, I new that if I wasn’t careful, it could forever change my life.  And so I was careful, and tucked the brochure neatly into my bible cover sleeve.  Every once in awhile, I would take it out and read it again.

I eventually called Bryan.  The stories of all the people that were helped and all the lives transformed through his ministry gripped me.  I wanted to be a part of it.  Every time Bryan would invite my family and me to go, we couldn’t because the timing was bad.  Until June, 2011 when we were all able to go to Panama for the first time.

It was during that trip to Panama that I first realized that God had been preparing me for this my whole life.  That the Creator had created me for this very thing and that this was His plan from the beginning.  I remember standing at the center of the vision clinic that we had assembled that life-changing morning.  After examining 50 patients or so, I paused and looked about the run down building that we were working in.

I slowly panned across the room observing.  I noted the elderly that were still wrapped around the building, patiently waiting to see us.  They were already there when we arrived at 8am.  I had come to learn that many had walked from far away villages; they had left their homes at 2am to get to our clinic.  I took note of believers that were carrying their bibles, but many of them hadn’t read them in years for they were unable to see well enough to read the Word any longer.  There were many lost that had come simply for an eye exam and glasses, and they were crying.  They were broken for the Lord and accepting His redemption, deliverance and salvation.  I noticed the poor children that were expressionless at the start, and now they were laughing and playing from the hope of their new sight.  I remember then, the Spirit saying to me “Joseph, there is nothing you can do that is more significant than this”.

God did many great things while we were there including calling us to the mission field in Panama.  Having accepted His invitation, we are currently taking the necessary steps towards that.  I can see how God was preparing me my whole life for today.   Raised in a Spanish-speaking home, I am able to deliver the Gospel to those that have not heard in their native language.  I can also relate to those that have no relationship with God, those that have set their sights on worldly things and those that are comfortable where they are in their religion.   Having achieved what many would consider worldly success, I am equipped to share how the successes in this world do not fulfill or make us whole.  Only the one true God can do that.  My life is proof that a wretch can be saved and that miracles still happen.

Most recently, God sold our home in Arlington without us ever having listed the house or placing a sign in the yard.  The reason it wasn’t on the market is that we were advised not to do so by realtors.  We had just bought the house one year ago, and with the housing market the way it is, they felt that we would be much better off renting the house out.  We explained that we would much rather sell it and not have to worry about a rental while living in Panama.  But, if this was part of God’s plan, we were more than willing.  We were going to put the house up for rent upon our return from our upcoming trip to Panama in April.

One day in February I had simply shared with Peggy, a patient of mine, during her eye exam what God has been doing in Panama.  After asking what was new in her life, she told me that she and her husband had just sold their home and wanted to relocate near

their new church.  I asked where that might be and she explained that it was in Arlington.  She and her husband had been searching the area for months and were unable to locate their future home.  I suggested that they come and take a look at our house.

After describing the house, she said thanks but no thanks. It was not what they were looking for.  The very next day, I received a message from Nick, Peggy’s husband.  He said that they had driven by the house and that they liked what they saw and that they wanted to set up the private showing that I had offered.  The morning of the showing, Peggy had been praying and God told her “Peggy, I have a home for you”.  Upon arriving at our house, they felt a peace come over them.  Nick and Peggy could not explain it but they felt that the Lord wanted them to purchase our house.  They went back to their church and asked all to pray for discernment and guidance regarding.

Everyone, including the pastor, stated that our house was the one the Lord wanted them to purchase in order to help get us to our mission in Panama.  The house is about one mile from their church.

Well, we had all concurred that they were buying our house.  Yet, we had not even talked about the price.  We decided to meet the next morning to discuss that and other details regarding our transaction.  On my way over to meet them for breakfast, I started working out the numbers in my head.  Wondering how on earth are we going to come up with a price that will make sense, enabling us to sell.  We had paid 135K one year ago.  All the realtors told me months earlier that 135K is what it’s worth, and that if I were I going to sell it, that I should be prepared to pay realtor fees and closing costs.  The problem is, we don’t have that kind of money left as we have been downsizing our budget in preparation for the mission field.  Knowing all this, I started calculating.

If I ask them for 142K, then that should cover my closing costs.  Then God said to me “Joseph, why would you ask them for more than the house is worth?  Just ask them to help you with the closing costs.”  So that’s what I did.  I also shared with them the conversation I had with God on the way over to breakfast.  As I am explaining, I notice Peggy becoming misty-eyed.  She said, “Now I understand”.  I said, “What is it Peggy?”  She replied that when she had bought the house, the one that they just sold, some years ago she didn’t have enough money to close.  The woman who sold her the house gave her the closing costs and said to pay it forward someday.  God found a house for Peggy and Nick in the neighborhood near their church; the same area that they had exhaustively combed for months.  God found a buyer for our house when all the market experts said it was not possible.  When things seem impossible, it’s just another opportunity for God to show up.

At the time of my writing, we have no financial support.  When we leave for Panama, I will be walking away from my practice here in Fort Worth.  Because of licensing laws, I will be unable to practice optometry there.  God will need to provide for us in a different way.  Please pray for us.  We need your prayers most of all.  We are confident that God will provide for our needs.  He will keep His promise.

Cost: $25

To sign up, call the Association office at 817-599-6586
Start Time: 09:00
Date: 2011-07-28