Esther, who is five years old, lives in a remote area of Tanzania, primarily populated by the Maasai people. Esther's parents rely on cattle breeding for income to support their family, but due to changing climate, there is increasingly insufficient pasture land to keep the cattle from starving. Esther has also been unwell for quite some time, and after seeking both spiritual and medical help, Esther's parents decided to relocate her, so that she now lives in the city with her grandmother. Esther was diagnosed with genu varus, or bow legs, a condition commonly caused by excessive fluoride in the bones, a result of ingesting contaminated drinking water. Her legs bow outward, making it difficult for her to walk. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $880 to fund corrective surgery for Esther. The procedure is scheduled to take place on January 6th, at Arusha Lutheran Medical Centre. Treatment will hopefully restore Esther's mobility, allow her to participate in a variety of activities, and greatly decrease her risk of future complications. Esther’s grandmother says: “Esther is now a happy girl, I wish for her legs to be normal so that she doesn’t have to suffer in the future.”

Juliet, who is 39 years old, is a small-scale farmer and mother of six living in Uganda. Her husband owns and runs a small bar. The family lives in a three-room mud house. Since 2014, Juliet has been experiencing troubling symptoms, including persistent headaches, airway obstruction, and a sense of heaviness in her shoulders. She uses painkillers for her headaches, but they continue to impact her ability to work as she has difficulty turning her head. She also struggles to breathe. Juliet was diagnosed with a non-toxic goiter, and she needs surgery to prevent her symptoms from getting worse. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is helping Juliet receive treatment. She is scheduled to undergo a thyroidectomy on April 15th at Rushoroza Hospital, where surgeons will remove all or part of her thyroid gland. This procedure will cost $333, and Juliet and her family need your help to raise the necessary funds. Juliet says: “I pray for a successful surgery. I want to look normal again and be able to live a comfortable and pain-free life once again. I will continue with farming after recovery.”

Chanthy is a 41-year-old factory worker. She lives in Svay Rieng province with her husband, who is also a factory worker. Together they have one son who repairs cars and two daughters who are both students. Since Chanthy was 20 years old, she has suffered from ear pain, ear discharge and headaches around her left ear. This infection caused a cholesteatoma, or abnormal skin growth, to develop in the middle ear behind the ear drum. For this reason, Chanthy experiences hearing loss, tinnitus and ear discharge. She visited a government hospital two years ago for care, but she continues to have problems. Fortunately Chanthy traveled to our medical partner - Children’s Surgical Centre - to receive treatment. On March 22nd, she will undergo a mastoidectomy procedure in her left ear. Children’s Surgical Centre is requesting $926 to fund this procedure. This covers medication, supplies, and inpatient care. Chanthy is hopeful that after this surgery her hearing will improve and her headaches will disappear. Without care, she is concerned this illness might affect her health permanently.