Transplanting Love

"I asked the doctor whether I could take my eye and put it into my child's eye, " said the father, crying.

Loving words spoken by a desperate father

"But the doctor said that they had no way of doing that there," he continued.

Two years ago, Xiaopeng was playing with his friends. No one is sure how, but the three boys found syringes with the needles still attached. As Xiaopeng was running, he fell and the needle pierced his nose and eye, destroying his cornea. He was blinded in his left eye.

"It was like a nightmare for us and seemed like the sky fell down on us," said his father. "The feeling is just hard to express in words."

"He was still so young and has just started his life," said his mother. "We were so full of despair at the beginning. We despaired."

And over time, the injury began to take a toll on young Xiaopeng

"Because one of my eyes couldn't see, after I read books for a while I would feel tired and exhausted," said Xiaopeng.

But thanks to CBN and Operation Blessing, an unusual string of events began to unfold that would bring a miracle to this little boy and his family. It began last Christmas when a leading Chinese eye surgeon approached CBN with a request: Could CBN China's director arrange to bring some corneas from America?

Because of a relationship between Operation Blessing International and the Lion's Eye Bank in Norfolk, Virginia, 12 corneas were made available. CBN China Director Jewel Nordstrom hand-carried this precious cargo to Beijing to be transplanted.

"When my mom told me that America was on the other side of the world and we are on this side of the world and the cornea was taken really good care of during the long flight, I cried because I was very touched by it!" said Xiaopeng.

The very next day, at six different hospitals in China, doctors transplanted all 12 corneas -- including one for Xiaopeng.

"Today, we did the cornea transplant on the boy," said the doctor. "Also, we fixed the eye position because his eye also had become crossed from the injury. Before this surgery he could only see light or, at the most, some hand motion. Now, I expect he will see much, much better after the surgery. With the corrective lens he will probably be able to see 20/40 , at least 20/40."

Thank you CBN partners. Your gifts are touching the people of China in so many wonderful ways. For that, a young boy and his family say thank you.

"I'm very happy now because both of my eyes will have the opportunity to see the light and see the beautiful and lovely world again!" said Xiaopeng.

"I'm just so thankful for so many kind people to give us such a precious gift of this cornea," said his father. "Dr Lin did a wonderful surgery on him, and I'm really confident of this. I'm just so thankful to all the people."

"If it were a boy my age who donated his cornea to me," said Xiaopeng, "I would tell his parents that it's really precious and valuable that your son had such great love. I want to be like him someday."

Outreaches like this are made possible only with your help. Thanks to you, Xiaopeng and his family have seen the love of Jesus in action. And it doesn't stop there. Your faithful gifts are helping to feed and clothe children here and abroad, are providing medical care to others in desperate need, and are helping share the tangible love of Jesus to people all around the world. If you are not a partner with CBN, please join now.