Souleman Konde

Souleman is a boy of few words. He attended the first Mercy Ships medical screening in Lome, Togo, along with his mother. While other children his age scramble about in boredom and agitation, he sat solemnly waiting in line for his turn. Souleman had been quieted by a deformity, a large keloid on his left ear. A keloid is a type of scar that is benign, non-contagious, and sometimes accompanied by severe itchiness and pain. In severe cases, it can affect movement of skin.

According to his mother, Souleman was not always so quiet. He use to play along with the rest of the children in his neighbourhood and enjoyed the company of his siblings. Because of the growth on his ear, Souleman adopted the unwanted nickname Big Ear. His parents even took him out of school to help avoid the ridiculehe endured everyday. This became his reason for silence and his shy nature.

Upon arrival to the Africa Mercy volunteer surgeons removed the keloid from Souleman’s ear. Over the next week in recovery the boys personality began to glow more everyday. He began to smile and play with the nurses and volunteers in the Africa Mercy ward. After seeing Souleman’s ear for the first time after the surgery his father shared his enthusiasm in the ward, “I am overjoyed about the surgery because we don’t have a lot of money for surgery but now we have the grace of God and we have Mercy Ships and all they have done for us.”

Slowly the boy of few words had something to say. Three weeks into his recovery Souleman visited the ship for a check up and bragged about all the people who can no longer call him Big Ear. “At school and in the house they use to call me Big Ear. Now everyone wants to come to see what happened to the Big Ear because it disappeared. I am no longer the Big Ear!”

Souleman can now live the life of a regular eight year old. He will begin school again this year in the second grade. Through the amazing care and love of volunteers on board the Africa Mercy Souleman is no long just Big Ear,and he managed to find his voice again.









Written By: Yours Truly

Souleman and his mother waiting in line at screenings

Photo By: Debra Bell

Souleman before surgery
Photo By: Debra Bell

Souleman after surgery and during his recovery; along with father

Photo By: Debra Bell

Souleman after surgery :)

Photo By: Debra Bell