Mesa plays dolls with her cousin and neighbor, her grandmother’s eyes fill with tears of happiness that she is able to experience the same simple joys as other children without having to deal with the stigma or pain of being different. She tells Operation Smile how grateful she is that they were able to give this gift to her granddaughter who would have otherwise had a much harder and lonelier life.

Mesa was born to parents who work hard in Bangkok factories. They were trying hard to provide a better life for her, but still found it difficult to do even the most basic job of feeding their new baby daughter. Mesa’s mother, Paweena, could not breast feed her because of her cleft, and she worried every day that if she was not able to feed her correctly that she would get pneumonia from choking on milk. The family desperately wanted her to be healed but did not know what to do.

When they received a phone call from the Sisaket hospital telling them that Operation Smile would be able to help Mesa, they boarded a public bus and rode from Bangkok with the hope that soon life would be easier for Mesa and that they would no longer have to worry about being unable to care for her.

After the operation they are happy not only to be able to feed their daughter, but to watch her face light up in a beautiful smile as she pretends to cook food with her friends.