ANDERSON — Roweena Wilson’s near-constant ear-to-ear smile is perfect camouflage for the real reason the 7-year-old girl from Guyana made her first trip to the United States this weekend.

Her laughter hides the fact that in a couple of weeks she will have major heart surgery that could save her life. Although she’s scared, her father, Rudolph Wilson, tells her she only will have to take a pill, fall asleep and when she wakes up she will feel better than she has in her short life.

Roweena arrived Saturday at the home of Anderson’s Dr. Ron and Christine Davis, the couple essential in getting her to Indiana from Guyana, in South America. She stayed with the Davises until today, when she will make a trip to Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis to begin a series of tests before her surgery, scheduled for Aug. 29.

Roweena has a heart condition known as Tetrology of Fallot, the “tetro-” meaning she has four problems with her heart, all which need to be repaired for a permanent fix that could save her life and reduce her need for future surgeries. The condition was first detected by Ron Davis on a mission trip to the Amerindian region of Guyana and later diagnosed by another American doctor visiting Guyana, Dr. Philip Hofschire.

“I knew she had a hole in her heart because she had a very loud murmur,” Davis said. “I could hear it without my stethoscope.”

Roweena’s surgery would cost her family about $70,000, with more money added on for travel as she couldn’t get it done in Guyana. Luckily for her, she was seen by Davis on a mission trip he took last year to the country with a medical team of Seventh Day Baptists.

The team has helped children from Guyana who need surgery by connecting them with fundraising groups and donors who can help them with medical expenses and all costs associated with travel, if necessary. After meeting Roweena, Davis set the wheels in motion for her life-saving surgery.

First, he was told about central Indiana Rotary Club District 6560 and its quest to help international children in need of medical attention. The group participates in Rotary’s Gift of Life program, which helps with travel, lodging, food and medical expenses, District 6560 Gift of Life Chairwoman Dottie Hancock said.

“Roweena is the 102nd child that we have brought in from all over the world,” she said. “We try to help every child that we can, and it’s always been heart surgery. That’s what it’s meant to be.”

The Gift of Life program works with Riley Hospital and the Ronald McDonald House nearby, where Rudolph Wilson will stay during his daughter’s hospitalization. Roweena’s mother stayed home in Guyana with her other four children while Roweena and her father will stay six weeks in Indiana.

The Wilsons are lucky they have the Davises to help them during their stay, Hancock said.

“It’s scary if you don’t have people you know or even speak your language,” she said. “It’s just a little bit of something to help it not seem quite so frightening.”

Aside from Rotary’s donation, Riley Hospital will perform the surgery for free and Ron Davis’ Seventh Day Baptist group raised money to cover Roweena and her father’s airfare for the trip.

A third-grade teacher in Guyana, Roweena’s father speaks perfect English and has taught his children to do so as well. Rudolph Wilson brings in a steady paycheck from his job, but it would not have been enough to get Roweena the surgery she needed.

“If I spent my money in traveling, my family would be begging somewhere,” he said. “But God’s going to make a way where there is no way.”