Muriella

Today's post is reblogged from "Through My Porthole".  What a life-change for a lovely young woman!

Muriella stood in a queue of more than a thousand people with growths, injuries and disabilities – all hoping Mercy Ships could offer help they needed but couldn’t afford. At first glance Muriella didn’t seem to fit, but as soon as she turned and the right side of her face became visible, the reason she was seeking surgery became obvious.

She was ridiculed about the growth on her face. Pic Ruben Plomp

A decade ago, a cyst began to develop inside Muriella’s cheek.  Initially, she was not concerned about the small lump, but it continued to grow. Eventually, the tennis ball-sized growth made her the unwilling center of attention. Muriella was subjected to mockery from the very people she used to hang out with, and her teenage insecurity was exposed for all to see.

As the lump increased in size, it relentlessly forced her cheek outward. Going to high school became more and more traumatic for Muriella. In fact, she changed schools twice in three years because her classmates did not want to sit next to her or have anything to do with her.  When she came home after school, sometimes she would cry as she prepared dinner for her sisters and her mother.

The family struggles to make ends meet since Muriella’s dad passed away. Her mother works long hours in a factory to support her three daughters and to pay for them to go to school. They live in a small upstairs apartment with two rooms.

Muriella has big dreams. Pic Ruben Plomp

Muriella is a dedicated student, and she nurtures a dream to study law. She is determined to advocate for the poor who are imprisoned and cannot afford legal representation. Her passion is to see justice provided for the defenseless.

But the relentless growth and the emotional issues it caused were reflected in Muriella failing important exams. Her hopes and dreams for the future were shattered. But even this was insignificant in comparison to the fear of what would happen to her if the facial tumor continued to grow.

An Australian nurse first encountered Muriella at the patient screening as she lined up in the early morning hours with hundreds of others, all seeking help. Naomi recalls the moment she told Muriella the longed-for news: that the Mercy Ships crew would provide a free surgery to remove her cyst. It seemed as though a little bit of life was instantly breathed back into Muriella. She now clung to her hopes that had previously seemed hollow.

A new chapter of Muriella’s life began as she and her mother traveled to the coast to the hospital ship.  Surgeons examined Muriella and reassured her, “We’re going to help you, so you can go back to school.”  A week later, after a CAT scan and a multitude of testing onboard the Africa Mercy, Muriella walked to the operating room to receive her free surgery. Nervous but excited, she realized this was going to change all her tomorrows.

She wants to be a voice for the voiceless. Pic Katie Keegan

The transformation in Muriella was dramatic and immediate. After the surgery she was eager to go back to school. Now she looked like everyone else. A light-hearted side of her personality that had been hidden for so long began to emerge.

Through a relatively small procedure, Muriella’s life story changed. She is beginning a new chapter full of hopes and dreams she can pursue.

Once again, Muriella is ready to sit her exams for university. She is empowered to follow her vision to advocate for those who are treated unequally. Muriella’s healing can become a gift to many. Her own painful journey is enabling her to be a more compassionate a voice for Madagascar’s voiceless poor.