A New Nick Name for This Little Boy

Shortly after Yiyan was born, his grandmother threw him a traditional blessing ceremony and announced that his ancestral nickname would be Tutu. "It meant he would be surrounded by blessings,” explained Mrs. Ma.

Yet, the next day, Yiyan got sick. “His face turned blue, and his stomach swelled like a ball. He couldn’t keep anything down,” recalled his mother. “And he got worse and worse.”

Yiyan had a severe intestinal obstruction. “Doctors said an operation was risky but needed to be done as soon as possible to open up his intestines,” Mrs. Ma expounded. “Without surgery, the doctor said he wouldn't last 72 hours. His intestines would rot, and he’d die from sepsis.”

Surgery costs had to be paid upfront, but Mrs. Ma is poor. She called her husband, who was working out of town, and the two contacted everyone they knew to borrow money.

“One of my relatives said the operation was too expensive, and I should take the baby home to die. It was just his fate,” Mrs. Ma shared. “I was angry and hung up on him. I don't understand why people treat life with such indifference.”

Meanwhile, Yiyan’s time was running out. “He laid in the hospital bed with his eyes closed. When I touched him, there was no warmth,” his mother remembered. “I was so scared. This was my only son. I didn’t want to lose him.”

Doctors told Mrs. Ma that Operation Blessing might be able to help. “When Operation Blessing heard how serious Yiyan’s condition was, they agreed to fund my baby's surgery, on the same day!” Mrs. Ma proclaimed.

Soon, Yiyan was on the road to full recovery.  

“When he opened his eyes and looked at me and smiled, I couldn’t hold back the tears,” expressed Mrs. Ma. “Now, he digests food well. His stomach isn’t swollen, and he’s gained weight.” She continued, “During this time, a woman from Operation Blessing visited me and told me everyone was praying for my baby. She shared God’s love and said not to be afraid, just to trust God. She said God loves my baby and me. It was the first time I knew there was a God who would bless us. And in honor of God's blessing, I changed Yiyan’s nickname name to Tianyou, which means Grace. I thank the Operation Blessing donors. Because of you, my baby is alive.”