My friend Sarah from Samaritan’s Purse asked me if I would review a video. Of course, I said yes because I’m a big fan of the ministries of Samaritans Purse from disaster relief to Operation Christmas Child. I have seen Samaritan’s Purse at work first hand in Indonesia, Alabama, and Missouri.
The documentary movie, Three Hearts, is a visual and emotional journey of hope and healing about families from the US and Mongolia. The movie follows three kids who have been selected to come to the US for heart surgery with Samaritans Purse’s Children’s Heart Project.
It was hard to watch the movie without thinking about those in my life who have had heart surgery.
I have watched both of my parents go through triple-by pass surgery. My Mom’s surgery was over 15 years ago. My Dad’s surgery was just last year. Their hearts were stopped while their bodies were connected to a machine that kept them alive during the surgery. Words cannot describe what it feels like to sit and wait while a loved one is having heart surgery. Fear and worry consume yet for me the hope of Christ sustained me. Both my parents survived and are alive today.
It was hard not to think of Sean Henderson when a 19 year boy who needed heart surgery was introduced in the movie. Both were tall slender teenage boys entering into manhood. I first got to know Sean when he was 19. I was on staff as the children’s minister at Southside Baptist Church. Sean helped coach our annual Children’s Basketball Camp in June of 1997.
Sean had a way with the kids and they adored him. From the first day of the camp, I knew there was something special about him. Over the course of the week, I got to know Sean and came to highly respect him. He was a great man of God. During the week, he found out that he was going to need heart surgery. We prayed for him. A month later, Sean lost his life during surgery. A whole community mourned losing Sean and at the same time celebrated the life that he abundantly lived for Christ.
And again, the three year old girl in the movie reminded me of my friend Amy’s precious little miracle Ethan who was born in 2008. Within five days on earth he was diagnosed with heart problems. (Ethan’s Story) And, within a month, he had open heart surgery. Today Ethan is a happy rambunctious 3 year old. Sometime in his future, he will need to have valve replacement surgery.
There are striking similarities between the stories from the kids I know in the USA to the kids I met in the movie from Mongolia. However, the most dramatic difference between the two sets of kids is the access that Americans have to heart surgery. The kids in the US have hope. The kids in Mongolia only have hope of survival through coming to America for heart surgery through programs like Children’s Heart Project of Samaritan’s Purse.
Three Hearts walks you through that journey of hope. From parents receiving the good news that their children will be able to have the heart surgery in the US, to a host church in Texas surrounding the Mongolian families with the love of Jesus Christ.
The hardest part of the movie for this mom to watch was seeing the nurses take the three year old girl from her mom’s arms into surgery not knowing the outcome.
The best part of the movie was watching families open their hearts to Jesus as their children’s hearts are being restored.
Three Hearts is a beautiful story of physical and spiritual hope and healing through Jesus.
I want to encourage you to watch the movie and share it with others.
Also, I want to encourage you to learn more about how you can help:
1. Connect surgeons, medical professionals, and hospitals who can help with the Children’s Heart Project.
2. Raise funds. Here is the Firstgiving site that I have set up for my family. We have set a goal to fund the cost of one child’s expenses of $2200 within the year and hopefully reach our goal before my oldest boy’s 6 birthday on May 5.
3. Donate.
4. Pray. Visit the Children’s Heart Project website to pray for the children and to pray over the ways that you can help. You can also receive updates at Children’s Heart Project on Facebook.
5. Get your church to watch the movie and make Children’s Heart Project a ministry project. This is a great project for children or students.
Giveaway
I have 5 copies of the movie Three Hearts that Sarah has given me to giveaway. For a chance to receive one of these video leave a comment. Feel free to share your heart stories or tell us why this type of ministry matters.
For extra chances to win:
- Follow @SamaritansPurse on Twitter (http://twitter.com/
samaritanspurse ). - Sign up to receive occasional email updates from Children’s Heart Project at http://ar.gy/chphome
