July 17th, 2009
You can read more of the story from news 11alive Atlanta Here: http://bit.ly/7QQe7
In June I traveled to Northern Iraq to work on some stories for Heather Mercer’s organization called Global Hope. She had told me about this little boy named Muhammed that was going to be able to come to the USA soon to get surgery on his leg. It so happened that the flights lined up for me to join with Bethany from Global Hope, Muhammed and his father, Abdul Qader and fly back to the U.S.A. – It was his first time to be on a plane and I remember the excitment in his eyes as we went up in the air. Days before, we had spent time with his family and friends at their home, watch him kick a soccer ball around and then say goodbye to them all as he headed to the States for 10 months. I can’t wait to see him running without a leg brace!
This was written by my dear friend Bethany Bailey who I traveled with back to the states.
Have you ever found yourself witnessing a significant moment in someone’s life and thought, Out of all the people in the world, how did I get to be a part of this?” This was the thought I had as I watched Abdul Qader and his 8-year old son, Mohammad, hugging their family goodbye at the Erbil International Airport in Kurdistan. About 15 people, including his wife, other sons, nieces, nephews, and grandparents cried as they said farewell to these precious people for the next 10 months. My own eyes filled with tears as I realized the significance of what I was witnessing. This was the moment they had dreamed of for so many years. Now, they were only minutes away from boarding the plane to begin their journey to America.When Mohammad was 2 years old, he awoke in the night with a raging fever and swelling in his left leg. The mysterious infection quickly destroyed his femur bone leaving it unable to grow. Over the next 6 years, Mohammad underwent more than 10 painful surgeries, including having metal rods placed in his leg, but a long-term solution remained out of reach. At 8 years old, Mohammad’s left leg is significantly shorter than the right and he can walk only with the aid of a leg brace. Over the years, his family has become discouraged and they realized the kind of expert medical care they needed was not available in Iraq. When Global Hope’s president, Heather Mercer, met Mohammad’s family her heart went out to them and she started sharing their story. God began to open doors when she told the story earlier this year to a renown doctor in Atlanta. Upon hearing the story, he was moved with compassion and offered to help in any way possible. The very next day, he went to the hospital to have his own knee checked for a recent injury and there was an orthopedic surgeon in the same room. As he told Mohammad’s story to the surgeon, he soon discovered that this surgeon was one of only 15 in the world who specialized in pediatric limb extensions! The surgeon was intrigued by Mohammad’s case and requested to see his medical records. After receiving those, the surgeon felt confident that there was a solution for his young boy’s leg and agreed to take the case.The next few months were filled with prayer and politics as we first appealed to the hospital that would perform Mohammad’s surgery. To our joy and amazement, they agreed to cover all expenses! Next, we contacted the senator’s office and the state department in an attempt to get visas granted at a time when non-immigrant visas were not being issued. Due to Mohammad’s unique situation, the State Department approved their case under a classification called Humanitarian Parole. The final step involved finding housing for them during their time in the US. Through various connections and God’s careful guidance, we were able to locate a Kurdish believing family for them to stay with in Atlanta! After seeing every door open and every obstacle removed, I was convinced of God’s hand of favor on this young boy. So when Heather announced that I would be escorting them back to the States, I felt privileged to have this opportunity.
The moment I saw Mohammad at his home in Kurdistan, my heart melted. His huge brown eyes and adorable smile filled my with compassion. His mother welcomed us with extravagant Kurdish hospitality and cooked us the most amazing meal! Her strength of spirit was evident as she served us while also tending to Mohammad and their son who had broken his arm in a recent fall. As we visited with them and heard the story from their own lips, it became clear that they would give anything to see their son walking normally – even journey to the other side of the world.
So as I watched Mohammad and his father say goodbye to their family, I was taken back by a sense of significance and purpose. While this was one of many overseas journeys for me, this was Abdul Qader and Mohammad’s first time on an airplane – they were literally entering into another world! I wondered how they felt. I wondered what they would think of America. I prayed that all would go smoothly with the paperwork and our travels. Thankfully I was not journeying alone with them. My friend, Esther, who had come to do photography for Global Hope was traveling back with us. I am so thankful for her support and assistance on the trip home. We did encounter some major challenges along the way, including temporarily getting stranded in Amman, Jordan and being held in customs in Chicago for 4 hours.
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