Hope For Life Rekindled

Sreya's appearance when I met her for the first time

As I stared out from the back seat car window of the Samaritan’s Purse field vehicle, I try to imagine what my life would be like to live in the Cambodian slums with Wayne and the boys. The houses I see are nothing more than small squares of either wood or sheet metal with dirt floors barely large enough for sleeping and burning wood to cook over.  As the vehicle I am in comes to a stop in front of one of these homes, I open the door and am overwhelmed with the smell of garbage permeating the vehicle.  I scooted over in the seat to make room for a young Cambodian woman and her little girl.  

The little girl is a two-year old bright eyed beautiful child named Sreya. She is both a frail and medically fragile child. She is consistently hospitalized with severe breathing problems.  In March of 2011, the Targeted Child Nutrition Program Team, whom I am interning with, met Sreya and her mother while conducting a nutritional screening of children in this particular slum. Srey was found to be acutely malnourished. TCNP also provide Sreya with a medical screening. It was that medical screening that revealed Sreya was suffering from a serious congenital heart defect that is continually and progressively worsening.

That morning, we were taking Sreya to the Calmette Cardiology Clinic here in Phnom Penh to obtain an echocardiogram (picture of her heart).  Later that day, after the   echocardiogram was completed, the TCNP program manager, the cardiologist, and I sat down to discuss Srey’s health.  The result was clear. Her condition would continue to deteriorate without heart surgery.

My TCNP manager immediately contacted Angkor Children’s Hospital’s in Siem Reap, Cambodia. After consulting with cardiologist Dr. Lyda, it was agreed that Sreya needed immediate corrective surgery without any delay. The TCNP team quickly contacted the family and made the arrangements to bring Sreya to Angkor Children’s Hospital’s. On admission, Sreya’s condition was already deteriorating. Wayne and I along with the staff of Samaritan’s Purse immediately began praying that Sreya would be stable and strong enough to undergo the surgery.  Sreya’s family was also encouraged by the prayers and support of the staff at Samaritan’s Purse. Two days later, the surgery was performed on Sreya’s heart. God strengthened Sreya and the surgery went well without any complications.

Sreya’s hope for life is back. For the first time in Sreya’s life, her heart beats normally and the murmur is gone.

Sreya’s grandmother says her grandchild “now breaths normally, has good appetite to eat food and looks very healthy”.

Above all, Sreya has a big smile on her face. Sreya’s family thanked Samaritan’s Purse for saving the life of their little girl.

Sreay after her surgery

Sreya is one of many children suffering from life threatening heart conditions. It is estimated that nearly 20000 children in Cambodia suffer from congenital heart diseases. Shortened lifespan and lifelong morbidity results from a lack of diagnosis and proper treatment. Proper diagnosis and referrals with help and encouragement to the family can change the lives of these children. Most importantly, the love of God can touch the hearts of the parents as they receive care from Samaritan’s Purse staff which I am blessed to be a part.