At just one year old, Tera, a boy from a fishing village in southeast Madagascar, accidentally tipped over a pot of boiling water. He suffered severe burns on his legs. His family, unable to afford hospital care, sought help from traditional healers, but nothing worked.
+
The burns healed without medical intervention, but left Tera with a contracture that fused his foot to his ankle. This limited his movement and forced him to walk barefoot for 13 years.
+
When volunteers from the Africa Mercy hospital ship told Tera’s mom about the free surgery available on board, she didn’t hesitate. She secured Tera’s baby brother on her back and set out on a two-day journey to Toamasina.
+
Dr. Tertius Venter and his team performed a two-hour surgery that transformed Tera’s life. Now he can wear his favorite goalkeeper jersey on the field and play soccer with his friends.
—
h/t: Mercy Ships
Photos: Mercy Ships
•••