Shedrack is two years old, and lives in Tanzania with his parents and one sibling. His mother stays at home to care for the children, while his father is a small scale farmer, whose earnings cover the family's basic needs. Five months ago, when Shedrack was in the kitchen with his mother, he pushed over a pot of boiling water, burning his left arm and left leg. Shedrack's mother rushed him to a local dispensary, where they were sent on to the hospital. As the family lives in a remote area, Shedrack's treatment required extensive travel. And, while the burns ultimately healed, Shedrack developed contractures, which limit his ability to straighten his leg, or to use the fingers on his left hand. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is helping Shedrack receive treatment. On October 13th, surgeons at Arusha Lutheran Medical Centre will perform burn contracture release surgery, which will enable Shedrack to walk easily, and use his fingers again. Now, he needs your help to fund this $874 procedure. Shedrack’s mother says: “The burns were so bad that I thought I was going to lose my son. I am glad that now I am going to be able to help finish his treatment and all thanks to you.”

Chorn is a 33-year-old father of three. Chorn is married; he and his wife both work in a local factory. Chorn's children are all in public school. When Chorn and his wife have free time, they grow vegetables around their house to support their daily meals. When he was a child, Chorn had a severe ear infection. This infection caused the tympanic membrane, or the ear drum, in his right ear to perforate. For this reason, Chorn experiences pain, fevers, and frequent ear discharge. It is difficult for him to hear in the busy factory and he often misses work because he feels poorly. Chorn traveled to our medical partner's care center to receive treatment. On September 6th he will undergo a myringoplasty procedure in his right ear. During this procedure, surgeons will close the perforation. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $487 to fund this procedure. This covers medications, supplies, and inpatient care. Chorn shared, "I hope the doctors can help me so I will no longer have infections and can hear better. It is important for me to work to support my family."

Daw San is 64-year-old woman who lives with her daughter-in-law in a border town in Thailand. Originally from Burma, she moved to Thailand to live with her son and daughter-in-law after her daughter unfortunately passed away. Daw San is now retired and helps her family with cooking. At the end of 2020, Daw San began experiencing lower back pain and a fever. After receiving an ultrasound at a medical clinic, she was diagnosed with stones in her right kidney. The medic provided her with oral medication and follow-up appointments. At these appointments, she would receive an ultrasound and a refill of her medication. After feeling her symptoms improve, she did not return to the clinic. However, Daw San began experiencing strong pain in her lower abdomen and back this past June. She also began to experience dizziness, difficulty sleeping, a lack in appetite, and pain when using the restroom. After undergoing an ultrasound and X-ray, it was determined that Daw San has very large stones in her right kidney, which need to be broken up through laser treatment. Fortunately, our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is helping Daw San receive treatment. On August 3rd, surgeons will perform shockwave lithotripsy to break down and treat the kidney stones. Now, she needs help funding this $1,500 procedure. Daw San shares, “I am very happy to learn that an organization will help pay for the cost of my surgery. I am very thankful to the donors and the organization. When I recover fully, I will go back to my village in Bago Division to live with my aunt.”

Moses is a builder. He's a tall gentleman with a lot of stories and has kept his sense of humor through pain. He is a father to two daughters and two sons who are all in school. While he did not complete school, he joined a contracting company when he was young and became an experienced, skilled builder. Moses lives in a 3-roomed house with his wife and his four children. For some time now, Moses has had a right inguinal hernia. The pain is worst when he stands for long periods and he can barely lift anything heavy. His job as a builder involves a lot of heavy lifting, and his hernia has hindered his work performance. Fortunately, on September 27th, he will undergo hernia repair surgery at our medical partner's care center. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $230 to fund Moses's surgery. Once completed, this procedure will hopefully allow him to live more comfortably and confidently. Moses told us, “I am the only provider to my family, my wife is not working. I am afraid when I lose my health, I will not be able to provide for them again but with your support, I have hopes and expect the best.”

Misgana is a 15-month-old girl from Ethiopia. She is a happy and friendly baby. She has one older sister she loves to play with, and she also loves playing with her dolls. Her mom makes injera (a traditional Ethiopian food) for a living. She brings her two daughters along with her to work because she has no one to look after them while she is away. Misgana's dad is a farmer and they live in a rented house. Misgana was born with an anorectal malformation, a congenital abnormality that leads to a complete or partial intestinal blockage. She needs to undergo a series of procedures to eliminate bowel dysfunction. Misgana underwent emergency colostomy surgery at BethanyKids Myungsung Christian Medical Centre (BKMCM) and now needs to have her next stage of treatment to fully heal. Her mom shared how difficult this has been on their family psychologically and that they cannot afford Misgana's medical bill. Fortunately, Misgana is now scheduled to undergo surgery to correct her condition on July 7th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1,500 to cover the total cost of Misgana's procedure and care. After her recovery, Misgana will no longer experience bowel dysfunction or be at risk of developing related health complications in the future. Her mom says “I hope my child will heal and grow. I want her to learn about God. And I wish she will get a good education and become a teacher.”

Paw is a 46-year-old woman who lives with her husband, son, and daughter in the refugee camp in Mae Hong Son Province. Originally from the conflict area of Karen State, Burma, she and her family fled to the refugee camp due to conflict in their area. Today, her daughter goes to school in the camp, while her son stays home because he has an intellectual disability. In her free time, Paw enjoys gardening. Paw and her husband also raise chickens and grow vegetables to supplement their family's diet. Every month, their household receives 1,460 baht (approx. $49) on a cash card from an organization called The Border Consortium to support their day-to-day needs. Sometimes, Paw also receives pocket money from her other son, who works as a security guard in the refugee camp and lives with his wife and children. This amount is not enough to cover their daily needs, so they often have to purchase food on credit, which they pay back at the end of the month. They receive free basic health care at the hospital in the refugee camp, provided by Malteser International (MI) Thailand, but surgery there is not available. In early 2020, Paw started to experience pain in her lower abdomen. She also experienced severe back pain, dizziness and nausea when she ate. She went to the hospital in the refugee camp, where she was treated for a urinary tract infection (UTI). When the UTI kept returning, MI staff referred her to Mae Sariang Hospital for further treatment. Paw went to that hospital in February 2020, where she was diagnosed with a stone in her right kidney and acute pyelonephritis, a bacterial infection causing inflammation of the kidneys. She was admitted for five days and received treatment for the infection. Afterwards, she was referred to Chiang Mai Hospital (CMH) for further treatment for the kidney stone. In July 2020, MI staff brought Paw to CMH, where she received various x-rays. Doctors confirmed her diagnosis, but also diagnosed her with severe hydronephrosis, or a buildup of urine, in her right kidney. She received a catheter to drain urine from her kidney, and was brought back to CMH every three months to change the catheter. The doctor also scheduled Paw to have the stone removed from her right kidney on October 31st. Our partner, Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF), is asking for financial assistance to help Paw pay for this surgery. Currently, Paw experiences pain and has difficulty sleeping. Traveling to the hospital regularly is also difficult for her family. Paw thinks a lot about her future and shared: “In the future I want to buy and raise a pig and more chickens. I do not want to be resettled in another country because I love living near my siblings. If they [my siblings] are resettled, I might go with them."

Evalyn is a 51-year-old farmer living in Uganda. She shared with us that she had to drop out of school at a young age, because her family did not have the money to pay for the school fees but she has worked hard to make a good life for her and her family. Five years ago, Evalyn's husband died, leaving her without the support she needs to care for the four children that are still living at home. She has two older children are grown up and now married. Three years ago, Evalyn began to experience troubling symptoms, including swelling in her neck, and difficulty with swallowing and breathing. Evalyn was seen by doctors at the Karoli Lwanga Hospital in Nyakibale, where she was diagnosed with a goiter, which needs to be surgically removed to prevent her symptoms from worsening. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Evalyn receive treatment. She is scheduled to undergo a thyroidectomy on May 17th, when doctors will remove all or part of her thyroid gland. Evalyn and her family are seeking $252 to fund her procedure. Evalyn says: "As a widow, I'm finding it hard to raise money for my surgery. I will be delighted if you support me so that I can resume farming and provide for my family."

Chom Hean is a 42-year-old woman who is a rice farmer along with her husband. Together they have three children, who are all students. In her free time, Chom Hean likes to visit her relatives in their village and listen to the news on the radio at home. Five years ago, Chom Hean developed a pterygium in her left eye, causing her irritation, pain, and tearing. Pterygiums are non-cancerous growths of the conjunctiva, which is a mucous layer that lubricates the eye. These growths occur when the conjunctiva is exposed to excessive sun damage, and the cells grow abnormally over the pupil. As a result, Chom Hean has difficulty seeing things clearly, recognizing faces, working, and going outside. When Chom Hean learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), she traveled a long eight and a half hours across the country to receive treatment. On May 2nd, she will undergo surgery to remove the abnormal conjunctiva from the cornea surface and replace it with a conjunctival graft to prevent a recurrence. CSC is requesting $225 to fund this procedure, which includes medications, supplies, and inpatient care for two days. Chom Hean shared, "After surgery, I hope my eye can see better and the irritation will stop. I want to be able to plant crops with my husband."

Margaret is a single mother of two children. She moved from Uganda to Kenya in search of a better livelihood. She works as a house help in Loresho area in Nairobi and lives in a one-room rental house costing about $35 a month. She has an immigrant identification card and cannot get national health insurance coverage within Kenya. Since two months ago, Margaret has been experiencing lower abdominal pains. She visited a nearby health facility and was treated for typhoid and ulcers. The pain did not end and she could feel a painful lump on her abdomen. She was forced to go back for a checkup and advised to visit Kijabe Hospital for a cancer review. Early this month a biopsy was ordered and results revealed a vaginal mass and squamous cell carcinoma. She urgently needs to undergo a hysterectomy, a procedure in which surgeons will remove her uterus. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1260 to fund Margaret's surgery. On September 22nd, she will undergo gynecological surgery at our medical partner's care center. Once recovered, Margaret will be able to resume her daily activities free of pain. Margaret says, “This news is tough but I am determined to battle the cancer.”

Olivia is a 45-year-old small businesswoman and mother of four. Her children are in school, and she sells vegetables while her husband tends to their small piece of land. Olivia shared that their income helps them to meet their daily needs, however it has been very difficult for them to save up money for the cost of her surgery. Three years ago, Olivia began to experience troubling symptoms, including neck swelling, breathing problems, and fatigue. Upon review, doctors diagnosed her condition as a multi-nodular goiter and determined that she will need to undergo surgery to prevent her symptoms from worsening. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), is helping Olivia receive treatment. On April 12th, she will undergo a thyroidectomy, in which surgeons will remove all or part of her thyroid gland. AMH is requesting $252 to cover the cost of Olivia’s surgery. Olivia shared, “It is hard for me to work well because this swelling gives me ill-health. I hope that once it is removed, I will regain my health and continue providing for my family.”

Eliana is a friendly and talkative young girl from Tanzania. She is the firstborn child in a family of three. Her parents both work as small-scale farmers, and they depend entirely on what they harvest for their daily living. When Eliana was two years old, her parents noticed that her left leg was swelling up and that she would limp when walking. They initially thought she had fallen and hurt herself, so they took her to a local dispensary, where she was prescribed pain relieving medication. Eliana was eventually diagnosed with genu valgus, which is a malalignment of the knees. This condition is typically caused by an excessive accumulation of fluoride in the bones, which often stems from contaminated drinking water. As a result, Eliana struggles to stand and cannot walk more than four steps without either experiencing pain or falling down. This has resulted in her having to crawl most of the time in order to move from one place to another. In 2020, Eliana had corrective osteotomy surgery, which fortunately helped correct her legs to a point where she can now enjoy walking and playing with other children. However, she requires a second-stage procedure in order to remove her implant so her condition can heal entirely. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $880 to fund corrective surgery for Eliana. The procedure is scheduled to take place on August 11th. Treatment will allow Eliana's legs to completely heal, fully restoring her mobility, and greatly decreasing her risk of future complications. Eliana’s grandmother says, “The first surgery my granddaughter got helped ease her walking. I believe this next surgery will make her legs even better.’’