Heartfelt Send-Off Planned for Kosovo Children

Samaritan's Purse
Tuesday, 8 April 2003

They arrived in the Tampa Bay area on March 6 hoping for a miracle. In a few days, 3-year-old Dreni Bajraktari, 2-year-old Irfan Revuqi, and 11-month-old Leona Halilaj carry that miracle home to Kosovo—in their hearts.

These children, accompanied by their mothers and interpreters, will return to their homeland Thursday, April 10 after receiving life-saving surgery last month at All Children's Hospital in St. Petersburg and Tampa Children's Hospital in Tampa. Due to the lack of care available in war-torn Kosovo, these children were brought to the Tampa Bay area by Samaritan's Purse, an international relief organization headed by Franklin Graham.

Samaritan's Purse arranged for their travel, surgeries, and housing with local families and at area Ronald McDonald Houses during their five-week-stay. Volunteers from Palma Ceia Presbyterian Church in Tampa and First Baptist Church of St. Petersburg transported them to and from doctor's appointments, prepared meals, and provided support. Rotary Gift of Life subsidized the cost of the surgeries.

Samaritan's Purse Children's Heart Project identifies children with life-threatening heart diseases in countries that lack technology and training, and matches them with surgeons and hospitals in the United States and Canada that are willing to donate their time and services. Samaritan's Purse has brought more than a dozen kids to All Children's Hospital and Tampa Children's Hospital since 1998.

Since 1997, the Samaritan's Purse Children's Heart Project has brought more than 190 children from Bosnia, Kosovo, and Mongolia to the United States and Canada for critical heart care.

For more information, or to contact Samaritan's Purse, see their website at: www.samaritanspurse.org