JOURNEY WITH THE LITTLE ANGELS

​The story of a 5 year old child who is suffering from rheumatic heart disease was published in the Samoa Observer edition of 1 November 2016. The child is one of the many victims of this deadly disease.
 
Due to the urgency of the child’s condition, a visiting cardiologist from New Zealand early October advised for the early evacuation to overseas for the relevant treatment.  Under the government’s overseas medical treatment assistance, the child can be evacuated in no time.  The parents however were faced with the difficulty of sourcing out funds to pay for their travel expenses especially given that they rely solely on the produce from their plantation for a living.  Time was not on their side and as such, they sought SVSG’s support, to advocate for financial assistance for their son’s travel.
 
With a child’s life at risk, SVSG worked the whole weekend to secure a donor, then to arrange for the earliest flight to New Zealand and to liaise with the National Health for all the medical support required for his travel.  It has been a challenging time for the parents, as well as SVSG, as it took up the role of being the voice for the child through the donors.
 
The Little Angels Foundation of New Zealand was approached, as the supporting partner of SVSG in its work for vulnerable and underprivileged children in Samoa.  And God was on our side.
 
The Foundation saw the need for action and paid ST3,150.00 for the return airfare of both the child and the accompanied parent.  In addition, monetary donation of NZ500.00 was presented to the parents to assist with the child’s care while in New Zealand.  SVSG prepared a suitcase of warm clothes and other necessities required by the child.  It has been a challenging but a blessed journey for this child, thanks to the support of the Little Angels Foundation.
 
The father was humbled and grateful of the prompt response from SVSG and the Foundation, who were at the airport to wish our little angel well on his journey.  An update from New Zealand noted our angel being discharged from the hospital with medication until his scheduled surgery.
 
On behalf of SVSG, President Siliniu Lina Chang thanked the Director of the Little Angels Foundation for the heart to support the vulnerable children of Samoa.  “You have time and time again give relentlessly to support the children in need, and as we approached the festive season, we believe your spirit of giving will save the life of this little angel.”