Phit Thom, grandmother of Heu Sochantra, tightly held the wide-eyed Asian baby on her shoulder as we examined him closely. The young 10 month old infant appeared startled and confused as to why we were all gathered around him and staring and pointing with our flashlights. Were his eyes so wide because in his short life he may have seen more than many have seen in a lifetime? Growing up in the small rural Cambodian village of Prey Vihea, this could very well be the answer. In most rural villages throughout Cambodia, education is not a possibility and work consists mostly of sustenance farming, mainly of rice. This is no exception to Prey Vihea, the village of small bamboo houses and dirt floors where Phit Thom and Heu Sochantra spend their days.
When Thy Sumala, mother of Heu Sochantra, delivered Hue in her village, she was frightened and confused. Why was there a hole in her son’s upper lip? Neither she, her family or any of her fellow villagers could figure out the answer. Never having seen this before or knowing why it occurs, anxiety, confusion and fear filled the village air. Many of the families stayed away from the new little one, as they suspected his deformity may be contagious or ridden with evil spirits.
Heu was born with a congenital deformity known as a cleft lip. This clefting of the lip occurs when the upper lip fails to fuse and form during embryonic development, thus leaving a separation or hole in the upper lip. Albeit a terrible deformity, there is a 90 minute surgical procedure to repair this birth defect.
Thy Sumala is married to Heu’s father, San Su Heng. They have three daughters and one son, Heu. Heu is the youngest and the only one affected by the cleft lip deformity. San Su sells CDs for a living while Thy stays at home with the children tending to their needs each day. A good days wage for the family is the equivalent of one American dollar, enough to buy the family of 6 enough rice for the day. Looking into the eyes of this young innocent child, one could only wish for more in his life.
Hearing from a friend of her grandmothers about an American team of doctors coming to Cambodia to repair such lip defects, both Thy and San Su felt the journey was worth it, with the possibility of giving their son a second chance. Traveling one entire day by way of a packed bus in 95 degree heat, the grandmother and Heu alone made their way to Angkor Hospital for Children in Siem Reap, Cambodia. Heu’s mother, Thy, had to stay home and take care of the three other young children while his father, San Su, stayed to make a days wages trying to sell at least one CD. Through the sweat, heat and thirst of the day came a chance of hope. A wish from somewhere was somehow granted for 10 month old Heu.
After a 90 minute surgical operation and before putting the small bandages on the tiny new lip, a nurse brought grandma into see her new hope. In her native Cambodian dialect, the grandmother mumbled with love, “it is beautiful.”
It was beautiful, yet not only in its physical form but also in its mental and spiritual form. This gift one has been given to transform a lip and a life is a true surreal experience.
Yet, this experience is not one of ego and power, but rather of humility and compassion. The realization comes that you are not only giving your privileged gift to Heu, but he is also giving a great gift to you, the witness of a struggling humanity in its rawest form. Forever, you become bonded with this small Cambodian child who never really had a chance to make it in his already tough life. Now, there may be a sparkle of hope. Each day fades farther from Heu, yet in the back of my mind, I will always wonder what will become of Heu Sochantra.
Indeed, it is beautiful and will always be beautiful.
