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History
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hildren's Heart Project began in 1997 in response to a critical need in Bosnia. Hospitals were damaged and doctors fled the country during the ethnic conflict in the mid-1990s. Doctors working with Samaritan's Purse were able to aid many people, but were helpless when they became aware of Bosnian children with heart defects.
Samaritan's Purse agreed to help, and the first two patients--a boy named Majo and a girl named Nasiha--arrived in Charleston, S.C., in August, 1997. The children had difficulty breathing and they were on the verge of death. The surgery saved their lives, and they were able to return home and lead active lives.
The project rapidly expanded after the first two operations. Thirty-three hospitals in 19 states have provided heart care for 73 children from Bosnia, 24 from Kosovo, and three from Mongolia.
In addition to medical care in the U.S., the Children's Heart Project has provided state-of-the-art diagnostic equipment and training for doctors overseas. Samaritan's Purse donated echocardiogram machines in Bosnia, Kosovo and most recently Mongolia. The machines enable doctors in those countries to better diagnose defects, identify candidates for surgery, and ensure that the children are matched with the proper specialists in the U.S.
In addition to saving lives, the Children's Heart Project also has lead many people to faith in Jesus Christ through the evangelical efforts of host churches and families, who are just as vital to the ministry as the doctors and hospitals.
The patients typically spend five weeks or more in the United States during their care and recovery. While in the country, they stay with a family that volunteers its time and its home.
The hosts take the family to church, and witness through their words and their actions. Because of the ministry of the families and churches, several of the patients and their families have received Christ. They have taken the Gospel message back home, sometimes to parts of the world that restrict outside evangelists.
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