Paul is a 48-year-old married man and a father of two children from Kenya. He and his wife are from Kiambu County, about 3 kilometers from Nazareth Hospital. Both Paul and his wife work on tea farms. They live in a rented single room, and work hard to provide for and educate their children. Their first-born child began her secondary education on February 12th. Paul and his wife, with the collective effort of neighbors, raised funds for her schooling. Paul and his wife are working to send their second-born child to secondary school as well. Unfortunately, Paul was hit by a drunk motorcyclist when going home on February 11th. He was hit on the right leg and bruised his face. After Paul obtained first aid at a local clinic, his neighbor brought him to a larger hospital via motorbike. An x-ray showed Paul had an open fracture of the tibia/fibula of the right leg and is currently in a lot of pain. On February 15th, Paul will undergo a fracture repair procedure to enable him to use his leg and avoid complications including infection. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1049 to fund this procedure. Paul says, "Our life has not been easy, and even getting money to come to the hospital was not possible; at least our neighbor was kind enough to bring me to Nazareth Hospital. I appeal for support so that I can walk again and at least join my wife in our casual job so that we can continue supporting ourselves and our children."

Sot is a retired rice farmer from Kompong Thom province in Cambodia. She is 79 years old with four children and twenty grandchildren. She is widowed and never remarried following the death of her husband during the Khmer Rouge. She lives with one of her daughters, who works for a local construction company. Sot spends most of her time looking after the house and her grandchildren. In her free time, she likes to visit the village pagoda but has been scared to cross the road since her vision has deteriorated. About six months ago, Sot developed a cataract in her left eye, causing her photophobia, tearing, and blurry vision. She feels a loss of independence and experiences difficulty going up and down the stairs in her traditional raised home. A cataract is a clouding of the lens of the eye, so it is like looking through a frosty or fogged-up window. She has difficulty seeing things clearly, including colors and faces, and is worried about falling when walking, so is not able to go places on her own. When Sot learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled for three hours seeking treatment. On April 18th, doctors will perform a small incision cataract surgery and an intraocular lens implant in her left eye. Sot is able to contribute $100 but needs help to raise $153 to fund this procedure. Sot shared, "I would like to be able to see clearly and do things on my own. I also want to look after my grandchildren."

Myo is a 43-year-old man from Thailand. He lives with his wife and three children in Tak Province. Myo used to work as a construction worker. However, he stopped working last year because of his health condition. His wife makes snacks and sells them in the community. Myo has a heart condition that requires the replacement of his aortic and mitral heart valves and the repair of the tricuspid valve. These valves control the blood flow between the chambers of the heart and are necessary to prevent long-term damage to the heart and lungs. Because of this condition, Myo experiences chest and back pains and shortness of breath. He has difficulty breathing and is unable to sleep well. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 for this complex surgery. The treatment is scheduled to take place at Kasemrad Prachachuen Hospital on March 13th. After the surgery, Myo is expected to live more comfortably and have a more active life. Myo said, “I feel sad for my family because I can not support them. After my wife gave birth to my youngest daughter, my neighbor helped us with some food and snacks for my children. I also could not afford to pay for my surgery and I had to borrow money for my medical cost.”