Dr. Rainald Duerksen and Pastor Brett Phagen reside in Kinshasa, DRC and serve as ChOSEN’s in-country missionaries. They run the ChOSEN Congo Eye Clinic and Surgery Center in Kinshasa and oversee all of ChOSEN’s missionary activities in the Congo.
Dr. Rainald Duerksen is ChOSEN’s CEO in Congo and has broad experience in the practice of ophthalmology in the developing world. He graduated from the National University of Asunción in 1987 with a medical degree and then completed an ophthalmology residency in 1991 from the Elias Santana Hospital in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Rainald then practiced ophthalmology in Asunción, Paraguay and later founded the nonprofit Fundación Visión in 1999. Prior to joining ChOSEN full-time in 2025, he worked as a consultant for Christian Blind Mission in Latin America, which eventually led him to the Congo. Rainald’s wonderful wife Theresa resides with him in Kinshasa, whereas their children and grandchildren live in Paraguay.
Brett Phagen serves on ChOSEN’s Congolese board of directors and is instrumental in facilitating all of ChOSEN’s work in Congo through his extensive knowledge of the country. Brett is the lead pastor at the International Protestant Church of Kinshasa and has lived in Congo with his wonderful wife Marie and their children since 2012. Brett is a 4th generation pastor and grew up in Florida prior to entering the ministry. Before his move to the Congo, he served as a foreign missionary at the Praise Center in Brussels, Belgium for more than 16 years.
ChOSEN Eye Mission provides free cataract surgery and sight-restoring eye care in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) for patients who have limited access to quality ophthalmic treatment.
ChOSEN began serving in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2022, expanding our international ophthalmology mission program to a country where access to specialized eye surgery is extremely limited.
Through our surgical projects, volunteer ophthalmologists and medical professionals work with local teams to provide high-quality eye surgery at no cost to patients.
For many patients in the Democratic Republic of Congo, obtaining cataract surgery or other specialized ophthalmic care can be difficult or impossible.
ChOSEN works to overcome these barriers by bringing experienced surgical teams, modern ophthalmic equipment, supplies, and resources to communities where the need for eye care is significant.
Our goal is not simply to perform surgeries. We work with local partners to strengthen access to high-quality ophthalmic care and develop sustainable programs that can continue serving patients over time.
ChOSEN believes that patients should receive excellent surgical care regardless of where they live or their ability to pay.
Our international eye surgery teams use modern ophthalmic techniques, equipment, and supplies to provide cataract surgery, retinal surgery, and other sight-restoring eye care.
ChOSEN coordinates patient screening, surgical facilities, equipment, supplies, pre-operative evaluation, and post-operative care so volunteer surgeons can concentrate on providing excellent surgical treatment.
ChOSEN welcomes qualified ophthalmologists, cataract surgeons, retina surgeons, ophthalmic nurses, scrub technicians, surgical technicians, and other medical professionals interested in using their skills to serve patients in need.
ChOSEN coordinates airfare, accommodations, meals, ground transportation, and other travel logistics for approved volunteers. We also coordinate patients, surgical supplies, equipment, facilities, and supporting medical care for each project.
This allows our volunteer medical teams to focus their time and expertise on restoring sight.
ChOSEN’s work in the DRC combines high-quality medical care with our Christian mission.
Through compassionate service, prayer, Scripture, and personal ministry, our teams seek opportunities to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with patients and their families while treating every patient with dignity and compassion.
You can help ChOSEN provide free eye surgery in the Democratic Republic of Congo by volunteering on an international ophthalmology mission or supporting our work through a charitable donation.
Approximately $250 in material costs can provide one sight-restoring eye surgery. Donations help provide intraocular lenses, medications, surgical supplies, equipment, and patient care for people who otherwise may have little or no access to treatment.
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