After a long day at the dental clinic, I was in the kitchen when my 14-year-old son, Mark, burst in—bringing an unexpected guest. It was a little girl named Mia, just eight years old, pale, quiet, and clutching her jaw in obvious pain.
“She’s from my school,” Mark explained. “She hasn’t eaten, and it hurts so much. I didn’t know where else to go.”
When I looked inside her mouth, my heart sank. Severe cavities, abscesses, and pain no child should ever suffer. I couldn’t send her away. That evening, I canceled all my appointments and provided her with pain relief, determined to help her.