Free Cleft Palate Surgeries Transform Lives of Poor Children in India

• Benny Hinn Ministries along with Calcutta Mercy Hospital have changed many lives over the years.

• Calcutta Mercy Hospital is a 173 bed hospital in India. At the height of the program 100,000 patients were scene each year.

• With the faithful support of Benny Hinn Ministries, 40% of the patients seen during that time were provided free treatment.

Since 1977, Calcutta Mercy Hospital continues providing care to more than 100,000 people every year with 40 percent of its total patient care free of charge to those in need.  The seven-story health care and medical research institution, located in downtown Calcutta, India, provides pediatric and neonatal care, therapeutic, and rehabilitative services to abused and underprivileged patients, AIDS awareness, and educational services.

The hospital has a Research Centre School of Nursing that provides top level professional services to girls and women from all levels of income as they realize that in the Indian culture it is necessary for women to have training in various vocational fields in order to gain respect, success, and to break the cycle of poverty. In the rural communities around Calcutta, the hospital sends out doctor and nurse teams to attend the medical needs of thousands of poor people who would otherwise go untreated.

In the wake of the devastating tsunami, Calcutta Mercy Hospital sent an eight-member team of doctors, nurses, and technicians to help the tsunami-affected people.

This Operation Blessing in the western provinces of Kalmunai and Akkaraipattu, Maruthamunai, and Akbar lasted ten days and gave a fresh lease on life to the people through medical attention, love, and care. In 2004, the Calcutta hospital treated thousands of children affected by Thalassaemia, a disease related to abnormal hemoglobin that requires blood transfusion twice a month and surgical removal of spleens by the age of 6 or 7 and treats children for blindness. Most of the children treated receive 60% of sight after the operation. Tens of thousands of families attend the Free Meal Program to receive daily meals. .

All of this was made possible by the best wishes and heartfelt patronage of Benny Hinn and partners of Benny Hinn Ministries.

Benny Hinn Ministries worked along with Calcutta Mercy Ministries and with Missionary Huldah Buntain and Bonnie Buntain-Long to provide free health care to 40,000 children and the poor of India for years. Mark & Huldah Buntain, along with their daughter Bonnie, arrived in Calcutta (India) in October, 1954.

The first time the Buntain’s mentioned their interest in the medical needs of the poor was when a little girl fainted in their first school. The Buntain’s rushed her to one of the Calcutta local hospital. Seeing the congested condition broke their heart. It was then they committed themselves “not only to educate and feed these children but also medically treat them.”

In the city of Calcutta (India), where the population exceeds 18 million people, there are many children who are victims of poverty and disease and have no place to go to. Touching children and the poor with the love of Christ remains the focus of this Christian hospital.

Cleft lip and cleft palate are not as rare as people think they are. Together they constitute the fourth most common birth defect. One out of every 700 newborns is born with a cleft lip and/or cleft palate. In 45% of cases they occur together. Children born with cleft lips or cleft palates have been operated free at the hospital. This small operation is making a huge difference in the lives of children and their family.

From one-year old girl Asmina Khatoon to sixteen- year old young lady Saraswati Sardar, thirteen lovely children were provided with free surgery and post-operative care at the Calcutta hospital. Saraswati was sixteen year old when she came to the hospital. Before coming to us she would look at the mirror and be tempted to take a needle and stitch up her marred upper lip. Her family members would watch her and shake their head in disbelief. Poverty prevented her from getting operated. However, if she did not get help, the reality would be that no one would want to marry her. All that nine-year old boy Swaranil Dev wanted to do was to pronounce his name loudly and clearly. He wanted his friends to stop teasing and making fun of him. At the time it would have only cost $250 to operate on a poor child and yet there are many families who do not have that kind of money.

It is not surprising to see children staying at home rather then going to school. Children with cleft and lip problem do not want to go out of their home as they have such a low self esteem. Children suffering with cleft lip problem and their family members feel that they are cursed. “Bachua ke honth mein grahan lag gaya” (“The eclipse has left its mark on the child’s lip”). Many do nothing about this problem as they feel that rectifying a child’s lip will make the curse shift onto the entire family. Many cannot because they are poor.

In such a challenging context, things are changing as doctors at the Calcutta Mercy Hospital are able to repair the cleft lips and cleft palates of poor children and work through the superstitions of the people. These beautiful children whose faces and smiles are marred and disfigured since birth are treated free of charge and return home with beautiful smiles.

The Bible puts it so clearly: “Let the little children come to me and stop keeping them away. For the kingdom of God belongs to people like these.” (Mark 10:14)

In November, when poor little Amina came to us, she had serious chest congestion and cold. The nurses at the hospital took care of her. In the meantime bad news arrived that the grandmother of Amina had died in her village. Anima’s mother (Alewara Bibi) left Amina with us at the hospital. Alewara asked us to “take care of her daughter as one of our own”.

We love the poor children of India. We feel that in helping, praying and healing the poor and the children, we are fulfilling God’s call on their life. We thank you for all your love, support and interest in the work of Benny Hinn Ministries in India.