“We grieved the loss of our first baby, who died of a skin infection when he was only 16 months old,” says Melissa, a mother in Honduras. “When I found out that I was pregnant again, I rejoiced and praised the Lord.” Melissa enrolled in the Survival Program, a Compassion initiative that ministers to moms and babies in poverty.
When baby Enoc was born in January 2020, Melissa and her partner, Alexis, could not have been happier. But when Enoc was 4 months old, the little boy developed high fevers. Melissa immediately contacted the Survival implementer, who rushed them to the nearest hospital.
Tests revealed that an infection had spread through baby Enoc’s body, and he would need surgery. At the same time this terrible news came, COVID-19 was crippling Honduras.
“My partner is a welder and the COVID-19 pandemic left him without a job,” says Melissa. “We could not afford the cost of the surgery. I was worried to death and cried because I thought that I could lose Enoc too.”
Without hesitation, the Survival implementer gave Melissa and Alexis the good news that Compassion would cover the costs of Enoc’s surgery and all the medical assistance he needed. Enoc was taken to the hospital and underwent surgery. After being discharged, he healed perfectly. Doctors gave him a clean bill of health.
“I’ll be forever grateful for what the Survival Program did for my son Enoc,” says Alexis. “I used to cry along with Melissa thinking about Enoc’s surgery and how we were going to afford it. I praise the Lord for Enoc’s healthy life, and we appreciate the help of the Survival implementer, who has always been there for us.”