Three Hearts

Many of you know my son, Sam, has Brugada Syndrome, an arrhythmia of the heart.  If you haven't read his story, you can find it on the sidebar.  Sam's particular heart issue is an electrical one, which means that no surgery to his actual heart can fix the problem, not even a heart transplant.  He was born with one heart and he will die with the same.

However, he was given a chance to live when his cardiologist strongly suggested implanting a defibrillator at the tender age of 10 months-old.  

Now, four years later, he lives a typical five year-old's life.  He climbs trees, plays soccer, goes to school, reads books and loves his family and friends.  He has even chosen to believe in Jesus as his Savior and will be baptized on Easter morning.  He lives because of God's hand in his little life.  We are stronger because of the path the Lord has chosen for us to walk.  I have friends I would never have made were it not for this difficult, arduous and wonderful road in our lives.  And, in everything I do, I give the honor and glory back to the Lord for leading us in times that I thought I could never live through.  

I was recently asked to review a new movie from the Samaritan's Purse Children's Heart Project.  CHP helps provide children, in countries where medical care is not advanced, the opportunity to receive life-saving heart surgeries.  As you know, I am very passionate about educating the public concerning children's heart conditions, so I gladly accepted.  

My husband warned me before I watched it though.  He told me when they have shown bits and pieces of the movie during their devotional time at Samaritan's Purse, he has had to get up and walk out on more than one occasion.  It is just so hard to remember what Sam went through and think about any precious child going through something similar.

"Three Hearts" follows three Mongolian children, and their mothers, who come to the United States through Children's Heart Project to receive surgeries.  Two of the children, one is three years-old and the other 16, live in very rural areas of Mongolia, while the third who is 18 years-old, lives in Ulaanbaatar.  They are filtered, for lack of a better word, through a pediatric cardiologist at the Maternal & Child Hospital in Ulaanbaatar as at risk for sudden death.  I was surprised when I learned that there are 200 children currently on the waiting list for the Children's Heart Project.  Honestly, I can't even imagine having to be the one who decides which children will make the final cut.  

The movie was beautifully made.  I enjoyed watching each of these families and their progression through this difficult season in their lives. I loved hearing that Children's Heart Project not only chooses the children carefully, but also the host families in America as well.  And, to go a step further, they choose a strong church associated with the host families.  It's not just the host families, but the church family who embrace these children and their mothers.  It's a true picture of God's family and how we are called to meet the needs of others.  I was impressed, though through tears, that CHP chose to include (and honor) the memory of a little girl who did not make it after her surgery.  

I will warn you, there are a few graphic scenes in the operating room.  My children watched some of the movie with me and Sam was moved to tears on more than one occasion (they did not watch the graphic scenes), but was brought to laughter as well.  His favorite scene was watching Toggie, the three year-old pictured above, playing with running water in Texas.  She lives in the South Gobi desert, so running water was a new and wondrous miracle for her.  She kept splashing her face with it, giggling all the while.  The scene reminded me of the innocence of this child; she has a life-threatening heart condition and still sees the newness in everything around her AND enjoys it.  I can learn a lesson or two from her.

If you would like to see this movie too, I'll be giving away five copies.  Just leave me a comment and let me know why this subject is important to you or why you are interested in seeing the movie.  The giveaway will end on March 20th at midnight and I'll announce the winners on my blog on the 21st.

Follow Children's Heart Project on Facebook

Watch the trailer 

Buy a copy