Three brothers from Bolivia had procedures to repair their congenital heart conditions within a week of each other.
It was a parent’s worst nightmare.
Tatiana and Beymar had three boys with congenital heart defects and spent years on edge, worried that their sons’ lives could be cut short at any moment.
The hole in Edriel’s heart was discovered during a medical screening when he was just 2 years old. They were alarmed, of course, but doctors assured them the hole could close over time.
A similar defect was detected three years later in their second son, Samuel, also age 2 at the time. The screening revealed an even bigger hole in the heart of the second born.
After this, and a follow up test that showed no improvement in Edriel’s heart, they consulted a specialist. It turned out that both boys would need procedures, but the Bolivian couple didn’t know how they could possibly afford surgeries. They couldn’t even afford the regular tests advised by their doctors.
When their third son, Benjamin, was born with a similar heart defect, they were distraught. They couldn’t afford to save their sons’ lives.
They Never Looked Sick
They didn’t seem ill, Tatiana recalled, and were able to run and play at what seemed like a normal pace. But despite appearances, the danger of sudden heart failure loomed over each passing day, as did a cloud of anxiety for the Bolivian couple.
But the stories that might have ended with their own hearts breaking turned out to be opportunities for God to show His mercy and faithfulness through Children’s Heart Project.
Through this Samaritan’s Purse project we provide screenings to identify children in need of life-saving heart surgery and arrange for it at no cost to families who live in places with little access to pediatric cardiac surgery.
When their specialist referred them to Samaritan’s Purse, they learned that we were providing screenings a week later in their hometown. They were approved for the procedures and Mayo Clinic, one of the hospitals that Samaritan’s Purse partners with for Children’s Heart Project, agreed to take their case.
The procedures for the three brothers would happen within the same week, enabling the boys to lean on each other through this shared experience.
“I felt sad because all three of us were sick, and I saw how worried our parents were,” said Edriel. “I felt stronger and not alone because my brothers were with me.”
A Blessing Three Times Over
When the boys traveled to the U.S. for their surgery this past spring, a family from a local host church opened their home and provided transportation to medical appointments. Members of the host church and our program interpreters joined them on organized local outings and provided Tatiana and Beymar with a community of support during the procedures and following recovery.
When the week of the surgeries came, the family was nervous but also grateful that they would all go in within days of each other, youngest to oldest, before beginning their many days of recovery.
As they recovered together, they also shared excitement about soon playing sports together back home. Tatiana and Beymar rejoiced that they would be able to cheer them on without reservation or the fear they once had.
“I was happy because I knew I was going to get better and be able to run faster afterward,” Samuel said. “Before, I couldn’t run much because it felt like my heart would stop, and I had to stop and rest. Now, I think I can run faster and for longer.”
