From Shattered Hopes to Miraculous Transformation

When Mrs. Zhang found out she was pregnant, she started knitting a sweater. “I put all my love into every stitch of that sweater,” Mrs. Ma shared.

She was shocked when Mei was born with a cleft lip and palate. “It was terrible. I could see her teeth inside from the outside,” she painfully remembered. “But I wouldn’t give up on her because she was my baby.”

Some neighbors blamed the couple for Mei’s cleft lip. “They said Allah was punishing us,” recounted Mr. Zhang. “But I worshiped five times a day!”

Mei’s cleft lip caused serious problems. “She couldn't speak clearly. When she started to walk, she fell and always hit her mouth. Sometimes it bled. And then her cleft lip and palate got worse,” Mrs. Zhang explained. 

Mr. Zhang added, “She couldn't eat much so she was malnourished and weak. My poor little girl.”

Mrs. Zhang tried to protect Mei, so she hid her daughter’s face when they went out. “I think the world is very unfriendly,” Mrs. Zhang shared. “People whispered behind Mei’s back. I was afraid that when she grew up, people would bully her even more. And no man would want a girl with a cleft lip and palate.”

The couple got their hopes up when they saw an advertisement about cleft lip surgery. Then they heard how much it would cost. “It would take 10 years to raise the money, and that would be without eating,” said Mrs. Zhang. “I didn't know where to get so much money. It was a lot of pressure.”

Mr. Zhang added, “We would go bankrupt and be homeless.” Mr. Zhang worked hard to save, anyway. Then, a friend told the couple about Operation Blessing and Mei got surgery. 

“I couldn't believe that strangers were willing to pay for Mei’s operation,” exclaimed Mrs. Zhang.

Her husband added, “Mei changed a lot. She eats well and speaks clearly. People around us didn't help, but you did. This is love.”

Mrs. Zhang concluded, “Everyone says Mei’s a little princess. It’s my dream come true. She’s very cheerful and likes to show-off her beautiful smile. I thank the kind-hearted people at Operation Blessing, especially since our beliefs are so different. Thank you for accepting us. Thank you for making surgery possible for Mei so she can live a good life!”