ROCHESTER, Minn. - For 20 years, the Samaritans Purse's Children's Heart Project and Mayo Clinic have partnered to help save lives of children in other countries.
Kids who are experiencing heart problems come from Bonsia, Kosovo, Honduras, Uganda, Mongolia, and Bolivia fly to Rochester to get life-saving operations. So far, 91 lives have been saved through the partnership with Mayo.
But as the saying goes, it takes a village.
"Children's heart project would not be able to do this job, to do the work alone. That is the truth," Sheena Basemera, spokesperson and translator with Children's Heart Project, said.
Community members in Rochester also help in the healing process. Families volunteer their homes, love, and support, to the families traveling for the operations.
When Rochester International Aiprort caught wind one of its employees was hosting a family, it wanted to share the story. RST helped organize the filming of a short documentary celebrating how all of the Rochester community comes together to help save lives.
The documentary was shared at a screening on Sunday at Calvary Evengelical Free Church.
Dan and Merideth Orvis are one of the host families and are included in the short film. Being a host family was a scary thought at first but brought a priceless reward.
"I said there is no way I can do this. There is no way. I don't speak another language, my house isn't perfect enough," Merideth said."But none of that matters...all these moms and babies need is someone to love them."
"We always think we'll were going to have to change our schedules and change our house," Dan added. "In the end it's always amazing how incredibly blessed how we feel to have these families in our house."
The Orvis' have now hosted five times and are hoping to host again.
To learn more and watch the full short film click here.
