The beautiful little girl from a farming village in the central highlands of Vietnam could not walk nor use her hands.
She was born without a right foot. The congenital disorder also caused severely deformed hands with fewer than five fingers.
Her parents carried her on most occasions. They wondered what the future held for her living in such a remote, rural area.
They were unable to afford a trip to the hospital from their village – medical care was a luxury.
This situation is so hard to fathom for those of living so close to a hospital or doctor’s office. But in resource-poor countries, children who are born with congenital birth defects are often left to suffer and ultimately adapt to their condition.
When MAP’s partner mission team, Asia Connection Inc., traveled to Quy Nhon, Vietnam, they were told about this family and this spunky little girl.
The team was on a mission to treat people born with cleft palettes, and their surgery schedule was full. When they received an invitation to visit the village, they were determined to help this family, even though there was little room for extra work.
The doctor visiting the village that day was moved by what he saw. Inspired by the young girl’s grit and determination to adapt to her condition, he took a chance. He believed surgeons from their team could correct her hands. But, he made no promises.
The mother kept her hope in check as they were transported to Quy Nhon. She tried not to imagine a different future for her daughter. There were no promises.
The surgeons were able to correct her deformed hands using skin grafts from other parts of her body.
The doctor plans to bring a prosthetic for her right leg on his next trip to Vietnam. Secretly he wants to see her walk one day. Somehow, we think this will happen.
These are the miracles of faith that happen with our mission partners. MAP supported this team with the sterile sutures and other supplies used in this successful surgery.
Can you help us make more promises to little girls like this? Promises of a brighter future?