A childhood dare with life-changing results

Mother of three Agnes is from an area in Indonesia where World Vision works. Since you sponsor an Indonesian child, we thought you might like to hear how her life has changed.

“My name is Agnes and I am 46 years old. World Vision has been working with our community since 2004 and my son Deni has been sponsored since 2008.

As a housewife with three children, I have to manage our family expenses well. Our family has received meaningful help to increase our income such as weaving yarn to weave traditional fabrics that I sell, and goats that have produced several goatlings [kids].

But the most meaningful relief that I feel to this day is the assistance of health services provided by World Vision.

One day, when Deni was seven years old, one of his friends dared him to insert an eraser into his nose. They said "Try to enter this eraser to your nose." Without thinking, our little boy Deni immediately inserted that eraser into his nose.

The eraser was there in his nostrils for five years without my knowledge as a parent. At first it did not have any bad effects, but over time my son began to suffer from prolonged bleeding. I went to several local hospitals many times to find help for my son. Every local doctor that I visited just diagnosed Deni with regular nosebleeds. But they were not able to help him stop the thick blood and pus that continued to come from his nose.

My family’s financial conditions made me unable to find better treatment outside Sumba Island. I just treated the nosebleeds the best I could.

One day my son was suffering from pain to the point of almost fainting. Deni finally admitted it – a long time ago he put an eraser to his nose. We rushed him to the local clinic and informed the doctor. However, the local health centre didn’t have the equipment to take the eraser out from Deni’s nose. So the eraser remained there in the left side of his nose.

Our family could only hope for a miracle. Then one day, my house was visited by a team from World Vision who had heard about Deni’s problem.

They told us that World Vision would provide transport and accommodation to allow Deni and I to travel to Sanglah Hospital in Denpasar for treatment. I was very happy and immediately packed.

When we got there, the hospital immediately treated Deni. The operation process went very smoothly and finally after five years Deni’s eraser was taken out.

World Vision, thank you for being a hero for my son Deni.”