Jennifer Mendoza Photography

This week, I had the pleasure of photographing some young heart patients who are benefiting from the incredible work of Patrons of the Hearts. POTH helps children from around the world. These kids in particular are from Liberia, Morocco, and Grenada. Despite the challenges these families have already endured and still have ahead of them, smiles were plentiful on this morning. These pictures were taken at the Ronald McDonald House, another great organization that partners with POTH to care for the families while they are away from home.

This young guy came off as an average teenager. Kind of shy, sweet, and trying hard to be cool. But then I spoke with his mom and realized that his life does not conform to our idea of average at all. After coming to Jacksonville from Monrovia, Liberia for successful heart surgery, they’ve been told that they need to return annually for check ups because there is no adequate care in his home. His mother wonders how that will be possible with the lack of funds, support and reliable communication (phones, internet). But for now, she’s grateful for his health.

This family, from Morocco, has been here since the beginning of the year and is still not close to going home.

This sweety from Grenada barely spoke a word to me, but she clearly LOVED getting her picture taken!

This pretty girl may have had the biggest smile of the group. She and her mom were headed home to Grenada the next day. So smart and well spoken, she was looking forward to the homecoming party that she knew was waiting for her!