Vernel

Mercy Ships

Vernel has a cleft on the right side of his upper lip. He was bullied for looking different, his dad says. The other children in their village teased him to the point that he would come home crying. Vernel's father brought him to the Africa Mercy, a specialized surgical hospital ship staffed by volunteers from over 38 nations. In an environment where people with cleft lips are embraced, Vernel quickly came into his own. He never had to worry about being teased; the crew loved on Vernel from the…