Today’s HAPPY MOMENT was when I introduced two families to each other, each with a baby with a cleft lip and palate.
In a country where children with birth defects are seen as “devils”, stigma and shame are daily realities and there are physical challenges in caring for a child with a cleft lip and palate, it can be very isolating for the parents. Knowing that they are not alone and feeling supported is often a game changer!
It’s always a delight to introduce families to each other and witness the hope and encouragement they experience when they see that they are not alone. I also love showing photos of children who have received surgery and watch the parents’ faces light up when they realize that their child really can be transformed through surgery. It is a joy and a privilege to provide ongoing support and care for these children. They hold a special place in my heart.
E’s mom confessed later in the morning that when she is at home in her community, she often feels lonely, ashamed and worried, but when she comes to our clinic, she feels cared for, encouraged and hopeful. It warms my heart to know that our clinic provides a safe space and even though we have formal weekly visits for weight checks, she knows that she is welcome at any time.
I pray that these two little ones continue to grow well and that their lives are amazing testimonies of God’s love and hope.
“You know me inside and out, you know every bone in my body; You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit, how I was sculpted from nothing into something. Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth; all the stages of my life were spread out before you. The days of my life all prepared before I’d even lived one day. Your thoughts—how rare, how beautiful! God, I’ll never comprehend them! I couldn’t even begin to count them— any more than I could count the sand of the sea. Oh, let me rise in the morning and live always with you!” Psalm 139
#happymoment #everychildmatters #hoperestored #transforminglives #cleftlipandpalatepatients #specialplaceinmyheart #showsomeoneyoucare
