Ly Vay is a cheerful boy with a loving family. His parents are rice farmers and his 10-year-old sister helps take care of Ly Vay after school. According to his parents, his favorite activity is to play and splash in water by the river near their house. Ly Vay was born with contractures on four of his fingers on the left hand, where the muscles of his fingers are hardened. As he is getting older and exploring the world with his hands, he is unable to do many things because of the contractures. When Ly Vay and his family learned about our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre(CSC), they traveled for two and a half hours seeking treatment. On February 22nd, surgeons at CSC will perform a burn contracture release surgery so he can have improved hand function. Now, his family needs help funding this $487 procedure. His father hopes that Ly Vay's fingers can be straightened and that he can play, pick up toys, and do many more things with both hands.

Hosiana is a three-year-old Tanzanian girl, with two loving parents and three siblings. Hosiana's parents are cattle breeders. Sadly, most of their cattle have died as a result of a persistent drought, and the few remaining cattle aren't healthy enough to attract buyers, so they are sold off at a loss for their family. In October 2021, Hosiana fell into a pit of flaming goat manure when she was playing with her friends. Her hands and the skin around her thighs were burned. Hosiana was given first aid at a local clinic, and received further treatment for her wounds at a hospital. After she had healed and returned home, Hosiana's mother noticed that Hosiana didn't have full range of motion of her hands. They were advised to return to the hospital, but lacked the funds to do so. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is stepping in to help. Hosiana requires several procedures, including burn contracture release of her right wrist and the third finger on her right hand, a skin graft, and the amputation of her pinkie finger. She will also need additional surgery on the rest of her body. All told, the family is seeking $1,088 to fund these procedures, which are scheduled for February 28th, at Arusha Lutheran Medical Centre. Hosiana’s mother says: “My daughter has never talked. Sometimes I wonder if the fire accident is what caused this. I hope that she gets treatment to make her feel better.”

Ashin Mala is a 30-year-old monk from Burma. He became a monk a year ago and currently lives in a monastery in Karen State. He receives two meals a day and cash donations from worshippers. In October 2022, he visited the house of a member of the ethnic armed group in the village. At the home, a child was playing with a pistol and accidentally shot the gun, hitting a wall. Unfortunately, a part of the bullet ricocheted off the wall and hit Mala in his left eye. Immediately, Ashin Mala was brought to a hospital, where an X-ray showed that bullet shards were lodged under his left eye. The doctor removed most of the bullet shards and closed the gunshot wound. Though time has since passed, he still feels pain in his left eye and has lost vision in that eye. He has also developed itchiness and a burning sensation in that eye. Eventually, he was brought to Mae Sot Hospital in Thailand, where, with the help of Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF) and Watsi donors, he underwent a CT scan. The results showed multiple foreign bodies in his left eye, most likely shards left from the bullet, and indicated that his left eyeball was most likely ruptured. He was then referred to Chiang Mai Hospital (CMH), where an ophthalmologist told him they would have to remove his left eyeball. He was then admitted for surgery at CMH on February 22nd. Mala needs help raising $1500 to fund this procedure that will relieve him of his pain. Ashin Mala said, "I believe my pain will disappear after the operation. I want to get rid of the pain. Afterward, I will work hard to attend Dhamma University. I want to become a preacher. I will preach about Dharma [the teachings of Buddha] around my country.”