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.
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 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.
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.
