Eight Mongolian children who received surgery through the Children’s Heart Project have returned home. The Boone-based Christian relief organisation is flying the children, their parents and translators on their own DC-8 aircraft. The plane landed in Mongolia on Thursday.

Samaritan’s Purse decided to help after COVID-19 travel restrictions prolonged their stay in the US.

“On one side of the emotion, there’s great excitement and anticipation of going home,” said Ken Isaacs, VP of programmes and government relations at Samaritan’s Purse. “On the other side, you’re saying goodbye to host families and staff from Samaritan’s Purse they’ve been working with four or five months or a year.”

In partnership with 60 hospitals in North America, the program has helped more than 1,400 children with congenital heart defects around the world.