A New Smile for Hariz

Even after eight months, it was still hard for Saniah to accept the fact that her son, Hariz had been born with a cleft palate. “I keep asking what did I do wrong that caused my son to be born like this?” recalled the stricken mother.  

At every meal, Saniah worried as she watched him drink or eat. She was anxious about his future too. “I cannot imagine how much he would be bullied by other kids as he grew up. One day some kids were whispering and joking, and I knew they were talking about him. That really hurt me.” 

The family lives in a remote town in Indonesia. Rustandi, Hariz's father, knew that his income would never be enough to pay for his son’s surgery. “I work making palm-brooms and earn about three dollars a day.”  

But Rustandi had received a free hernia operation a few years ago, provided by Operation Blessing. He wondered if we might be able to help his son!

“I was really happy when they told me they would help my son!” he said with a smile. Operation Blessing arranged for the baby to receive free surgery to repair his cleft lip. That operation was successful.

“I am grateful and happy because my son’s lip is fixed!” said Saniah.

“Thank you so much to the people who made the surgery possible for my son through Operation Blessing,” added Rustandi. “Thank you so much!”