David and Valentina learned during an ultrasound that something was not quite right with their ninth child. A doctor told the couple the grainy ultrasound images showed their baby girl would be born with a cleft lip.

Even before David and Valentina had a chance to comprehend what that means, the doctor reassured the couple corrective surgery possible and an organization called Operation Smile is coming to Malawi shortly to provide free surgeries to children like their baby. The doctor warned, however, their baby would not be old enough for surgery this time, but to bring her to the next medical mission, in August 2015.

A few months later, Valentina gave birth to a beautiful baby girl they named Vanessa. Seeing Vanessa for the first time with a cleft lip was of course a shock, Valentina said, but she was happy her doctor had explained to her and her husband there is a solution long before Vanessa was born. Valentina and David saw their newborn Vanessa as a gift and loved her as much as their other children.

When the family returned home with Vanessa, their other children were very supportive and loving of their new sibling. They knew Vanessa’s cleft lip could be fixed next year when she was old enough for surgery. Unfortunately, Valentina and David’s neighbors mocked the family for having a child born with a cleft condition, saying the family was cursed.

David and Valentina tried their best to ignore their neighbors and not let this bother them. They knew, thanks to their helpful doctor, Operation Smile would soon come to Malawi again and Vanessa would be helped. All they needed to do was make sure baby Vanessa remained healthy and gained healthy weight through proper feeding to ensure she would be a candidate for cleft surgery.

A year when by and finally David and Valentina learned an international medical team from Operation Smile is coming back to Malawi. The family traveled to the medical mission site, and after a long day of medical evaluations, Valentina learned Vanessa would be receiving surgery the very next day.

Without Operation Smile, the family would not have been able to afford surgery for their daughter. Valentina told us she and David have a hard time feeding their large family, and do not have any money for a costly operation. For a year, Valentina said she prayed Vanessa would be healthy enough for surgery.

Today, Valentina was calm as she waited for her daughter to come out of the Operating Room. A short time later Valentina was once again holding Vanessa and telling us how grateful she was to all the doctors and nurse for finally answering her prayers.