LA PAZ, BOLIVIA — Many Bolivian families are struggling to find suitable care for their children suffering from congenital heart disease (CHD) as many regional doctors lack to proper equipment to screen for CHD.

As these families are praying for a glimpse of hope for their children, their prayers are being answered by the Bolivian chapter of Samaritan’s Purse’s Children’s Heart Project. The kids enrolled in their program receive a highly detailed screening process, including chest x-rays, EKG’s and in-depth lab testing that give local partnering hospitals the necessary data they need to properly treat each child. The best part of their screening process, is that it fills families with hope and highlights God’s love for them as their children get the care they drastically need.

Cindy Bonsall – Samaritan’s Purse:

Most of these families feel like their child is going to have a death sentence because they’ve been told there’s no hope. So this project brings hope to many.

Tucker Chasteen – Samaritan’s Purse:

Samaritan’s Purse’s Children’s Heart Project, from start to finish, starts with our screening. These kids that are enrolled in our program, they all have congenital heart defects of various types. The screening process is very detailed, ensuring that the files that we send to our partner surgeons and hospitals are accurate. They all receive a chest X-ray, laboratory results, ECG, and we also get their immunization records to get the full picture of what these kids’ diagnosis is.

Jimmy Lu, MD – C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital, University of Michigan:

My name is Jimmy Lu. I’m a pediatric cardiologist. I’ve been volunteering with Children’s Heart Project for several years now. I get to meet the families. I examine the patients, do an echocardiogram to make sure we have all the information that we need prior to an operation or a catheterization.

I think she’s a great candidate for our project. I think once she has this device placed, she’ll be able to live a completely normal life.

Patient:

They are going to heal me.

Judith Balboa – Mother:

She told me, “Mom, they’re going to heal me. And I’m going to be healthy and I’m going to be able to run with my brother.” I told her, “Yes, you’re going to be well now.”

Luna Ochoa – Mother:

I have the hope that my daughter will be well. I trust Dr. Priscilla that my daughter will be healed.

Diana Mendez – Mother:

I think the words “thank you: fall short of what you do. Not only foer me, but for many more children, for many more families.

Just the ability to be present here and be able to spend just those extra minutes of this is what’s going on and answering the questions that they have, I mean, that’s a gift.

Diana:

Every day I think that doubts and questions arise, so to have confidence, to have peace, that all the answers to my questions are given. I am finding them here.

Patient:

Afterwards when my heat is all healed, I am going to play all my life happily with my brother.

Cindy:

So we come around and share Christ’s love during this most critical moment in their lives. I’ve seen over and over again, this is the moment, the defining moment in their lives they remember forever. They remember the relationships with the doctors, what Samaritan’s Purse did, what our staff did. And this is what God uses to reveal Himself to them.

Judith:

I rejoice because I know my daughter will return healed. It is a miracle to me that God has sent you and she will be with me forever. Thank you so much.

Samaritan’s Purse is a nondenominational evangelical Christian organization providing spiritual and physical aid to hurting people around the world. Since 1970, Samaritan’s Purse has helped meet the needs of people who are victims of war, poverty, natural disasters, disease, and famine with the purpose of sharing God’s love through His Son, Jesus Christ. The organization serves the Church worldwide to promote the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Samaritan’s Purse International Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) program is committed to meeting the critical needs of victims of war, poverty, famine, disease, and natural disaster. We stand ready to respond at a moment’s notice whenever and wherever disaster strikes. The DART specializes in providing water, food, shelter, and medical care while sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ.

CONTACT: Gabrielle Bouquet, news@samaritan.org

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