This afternoon I watched The Three Hearts, a movie documenting the work of the Children’s Heart Project through the internship of college senior, Cissie Graham Lynch, granddaughter of Billy Graham. Through this internship, Cissie supervises the arrival of three Mongolian children who are suffering from life threatening heart defects to face an operation that would save their lives.
I shed so many tears as I connected with these three children and their families.
I write a lot about my blessings here, but it is through watching this documentary that I saw just how very blessed I am. My life is so easy compared with these families lives in Mongolia. I take the medical care that we receive for granted and, really, it is such a huge blessing.
These families had to turn to the Children’s Heart Project of Samaritan’s Purse to receive an operation to save their child’s life. Two of the three children featured in this documentary had been waiting over ten years to receive this surgery. They were facing sudden death at any time.
In The Three Hearts, I saw mothers just like me who only wanted their children to be healthy and well. They wanted to see their children run and play like mine are able to do every day.
I watched as these three families received more than a life saving operation on their hearts. They received a new life of hope and peace as they came to know Christ as their savior and put their trust in Him.
That’s what I love about the ministry of Samaritan’s Purse.
They provide for physical needs with a focus on the eternal lives of those they are providing for.
In the end, that’s all that really matters.
I wish I could convey all that I experienced while watching this documentary with you. I can’t. I don’t have the words to do it justice. And I so wish that I did.
I can tell you that the ministry of the Children’s Heart Project is a worthy cause. The Children’s Heart Project works with hospitals to provide needed surgery for children who live in countries where the medical care is not available. Samaritan’s Purse provides travel for these children and their families to America. They also locate evangelical churches and families willing to host them.
Since 1997 the Children’s Heart Project has arranged for operations for more than 800 children. 800 children and their families have been affected for eternity by this ministry. That is just astounding to me.
The Three Hearts gave me a real life look at the ministry of Children’s Heart Project as I connected with and followed these families through their journey to new life, both physical and spiritual.
The thoughts that immediately crossed my mind after watching this was what can I do to help? How can I be involved with this cause?
Here are three ways that you and I can help:
Learn more about this ministry through watching The Three Hearts documentary. It is available through Amazon and other retail outlets. I will also be giving away five copies through the comments on this post.
Pray for these children who are currently in North America recovering from or awaiting surgery.
Donate to Children’s Heart Project. Round-trip airfare for these families to get to America costs about $2,200, but every donation can help.
Here is a trailer of this moving documentary:
Giveaway
I am thrilled to be able to giveaway five copies of The Three Hearts to you!
I am excited that five of you will have the same opportunity that I had to connect with these families and see the work of the Children’s Heart Project.
Just leave a comment below to enter the giveaway.
You can also gain extra entries by following @SamaritansPurse on Twitter (http://twitter.com/samaritanspurse) and/or signing up to receive occasional email updates from Children’s Heart Project at http://ar.gy/chphome . Just let me know that you’ve done these things in separate comments.
I will leave this giveaway open through Monday, March 19 and will notify the winners (remember there will be five) on Tuesday, March 20.
To find out more about The Children’s Heart Project visit:
Three Hearts Movie website: http://ar.gy/threeheartsmovie
Children’s Heart Project website: http://ar.gy/chpweb
Samaritan’s Purse on Facebook: http://ar.gy/spfb
Children’s Heart on Facebook: http://ar.gy/chpfb
Mary says
This sounds wonderful, Monica.
I know what wonderful work Samaritan’s Purse does, and I would love to see this documentary!
Sue says
Would love to share this with my children…
monica says
I, too, would love to share this with my children!
ps love the new blog look…i subscribe via email, so hadn’t seen it until today!
Brandi Gandy says
Wow, I have never heard about this! I was completely ignorant of CHDs until, at 18 weeks, we found out of little girl would be born with several severe CHDs. Our world completely changed from that point forward. She is now 10 months old, a walking miracle (well, not walking yet 😉 ), a survivor of 2 heart caths and 2 heart surgeries, a fighter, and a complete blessing. We know she has more surgeries in the future and a procedure (hopefully by heart cath) this summer. I have thought often how incredibly blessed we are to live somewhere that can treat her. The fact is, if she had been born in a country like above, she most likely would have died. Even here in the US, we had no guarentees – and still don’t.
During CHD Awareness week I shared many organizations that people can support. I will have to add this one to my list for next year. Maybe even before!
THANK YOU for helping spread awareness. 1 in 100 babies are born with CHDs and more kids die from CHDS then all forms of pediatric cancer combined. Much needs to be done for our kiddos.
Thank You