Just a couple of years ago, Ebenezar from The Congo was the first
patient we knew of that found Mercy Ships – and a way for his huge
facial tumour to be removed for free – via the internet. Last field
service, Cindy and about 20% of our Malagasy patients found us – and
their healing – through Facebook! I find that leap totally mind-blowing.
Feno told me she had been really worried about Cindy. When her
daughter was just a year old she had pulling a kettle of boiling water
onto her leg and the third-degree burns caused terrible, painful
scarring as they healed. When Cindy eventually learned to walk, it was
more of a hobble as the scar contractures prevented her right big toe
from functioning (A big toe is one of those body parts we seem to ignore
until it doesn’t work!).
Feno heard that Mercy Ships (MS) had come to Madgascar and was
offering surgeries that could heal Cindy, but she really didn’t know if
she could believe it. A free operation seemed to good to be true, so she
decided to dig a little. Feno figured she could get the inside scoop on
anything via Facebook. So she found the MS Madagascar page and started
scrolling. She looked at the ‘before and after’ photos and a video of a little girl whose bent legs were healed.
Then she read the comments other Malagasy were making about their
treatment and experiences. She was convinced; she could now trust us to
treat her daughter’s burns. Because Facebook messaging is a free
service, she was able to contact Mercy Ships and arrange for Cindy to be
screened by the medical team. The surgery was successful, and the
vivacious, restored Cindy has been unleashed upon the world!
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