“One World”

Spitting snow and mist mix into an opaque veil, obscuring the horizon over the Sea of Azov. Perched on the north shore and looking out to sea is Taganrog Children’s Hospital. Here children from Russia’s southern provinces gather in hopes of acquiring corrective facial surgery from experts from Russia and throughout the world. – all part of Operation Smile’s World Journey of Smiles.

14 of the children came from Chechnya – the result of considerable effort by Operation Smile Russia’s Executive Director, Anneli Nerman, and the acclaimed writer and Chechen physician Khasan Baiev.

These 14 children especially will know the joy of the human spirit inherent in such work. The nobility of giving unconditionally is on graphic display!

In this moment, in this place – world conflict is put aside. The world pauses to acknowledge its most valuable resource – its children.

The snow and mist see to clear…….

- Earl Bryant, M.D., Operation Smile volunteer