A Big Heart

Open Heart International has taken on several meanings to me in the short amount of four days in which I have been part of the team.

I have learnt that if you do have a heart it needs to be “Open” to enormous and emotional swings. One minute you will be sooverjoyed because your sponsor child is doing so well that they have decided they need the bed for another child who is in need of it more due to being seriously ill. Your heart is then thrown into a roller coast of sadness as you say goodbye a lot earlier than you thought.

My heart then took another turn when we visited the children’s village that one of the past patients Cheais now living. Chea, who has come from very distressing beginnings, took the morning off school to wait for us to come and do a medical check-up. Chea’s face was a refreshing glow of joy when we arrived! He made us all feel so special that we had made the effort to see him.Phil Roberts, the team cardiologist, checked Chea and was happy to wait until our next visit in October, to see him properly at the hospital.

Andrew and Doug only have one more morning of work on the path (they are hoping their hearts can take it). They are still doing a fabulous job of entertaining the locals, staff and patients that spend hours fascinated by the emerging pathway.

I know that even with all the ups and downs my heart is experiencing I am surrounded by the peoplewith the “Biggest and most Experienced hearts” are always there to repair it with either a friendly smile or funny joke. These amazing volunteers that I have the honour of being with every day are my super heroes!