A Heart Too Weak for Childhood

Ruyan was proud to be her class monitor.  

“It’s important to set a good example for my classmates and help them out,” Ruyan explains.

Yet it got to the point that Ruyan needed help herself.  She was born with two holes in her heart and malformed blood vessels.  Emergency surgery as a baby saved her life, but didn’t fix her circulation.

“Her heart wasn’t working right so there wasn’t enough blood flow to her legs,” her mother shares.  “She fell a lot, and her legs were covered in scars.”  

Ruyan adds, “My legs hurt really bad, but I still tried to run because I was the class monitor, and I needed to be brave.” 

One time she fell down some stairs and hit her head.

“There was a big gash that wouldn’t stop bleeding,” says Mrs. Ma.  “After this, it seemed like she was always in danger.”  

Ultimately, Ruyan couldn’t go to school anymore.  By the time she was seven, doctors said she needed surgery as soon as possible.

“I felt like something sharp was stabbing my heart,” Ruyan recalls.  “I couldn't get out of bed and walk.  When I did, I fell down and had no strength to even talk.  If I didn’t get surgery, I could die, and then I wouldn’t be able to see the person I love the most: my mom.” 

“Her lower limbs would be paralyzed and some of her organs could be affected, too,” Mrs. Liang explains.  She cries, “My daughter had already suffered so much.”

Ruyan lost her father and her grandparents in a farming incident two years earlier.  It had been hard on both Ruyan and her mother, especially as Ruyan’s health got worse, and the bills started piling up.

Her mother expresses, “Ruyan was everything to me.  I didn’t have money for surgery, and there was no one to help us.  I thought, ‘Is there really a God in this world?’ I prayed, ‘God, if you’re there, please help me.  Have mercy on me and do a miracle.’”

Then, a doctor told Mrs. Ma about Operation Blessing, and with your help, Ruyan got the heart surgery she needed.

“My heart doesn’t hurt anymore, and my legs don’t hurt.  I feel great,” Ruyan exclaims.  “Now I’m healthy, and I can go outside and play and be a good class monitor.”

“Everything in Ruyan’s body improved,” says Mrs. Liang!  “You gave my daughter a second chance on life.  Now I believe there really is a God in this world.  His name is Jesus, and He’s the one who brought us this miracle.”

“Thank you to Operation Blessing for helping me get surgery,” Ruyan shares.   She concludes, “When I grow up, I want help other people just like you!”
 

What a beautiful example of how CBN partners share the love of Jesus around the world with people in need! If you’re not yet a partner, we invite you to join us today. Help bring God’s love through initiatives like clean water wells, medical missions, feeding programs, and so much more—all in the name of Jesus! Join us today and become a part of what God’s doing through CBN partners.