Matt Willingham 
This little day-dreamer’s name is Zahraa.
She’s 6 years old, and—you guessed it!—she really needs a heart surgery.
I only had limited time with Zahraa and her family before she was whisked away for surgery, but the parents seemed terrified for their daughter. A local doctor saw me watching them and shared, “They’re very poor. They don’t know anything at all about the outside world.”
This was a great reminder of the faith these parents have when they give their kids over to us for treatment. I’m sure it takes serious guts to pass your kid off to trained professionals whom you trust and know to be effective (and can communicate with), but to give your kid to strangers from another country? To people who dress, talk, and act in a way that is totally bizarre to you? Maybe even offensive?
I don’t envy them, but I do admire their courage.
Both daughter and her mother, as if on cue, burst into tears as Zahraa was pulled away and taken to the operating room.
Please pray that her surgery goes well, and we’ll have a video update on her progress for you in a few hours.
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