Samantha is a 26-year-old mother from Haiti. She lives in a neighborhood of Port-au-Prince with her husband and their one-year-old daughter. Samantha has a cardiac condition called rheumatic mitral regurgitation. One of the four valves of her heart is damaged as a result of an infection she had earlier in her life. The valve cannot adequately pump blood through her body, leaving her weak and short of breath. Samantha will fly to the United States to receive treatment. On September 9th, she will undergo cardiac surgery, during which surgeons will repair the valve so that blood can flow through it more normally. Another organization, Baylor Scott and White Heart Hospital, is contributing $22.000 to pay for her surgery. Samantha's family still needs help to fund the costs of surgery prep. Our medical partner, International Cardiac Alliance, is requesting $1,500 to cover labs, medicines, and check-up and follow-up appointments. It also supports securing travel documents for the family and travel costs for the social workers who will accompany Samantha's family overseas. Samantha says, "I am very excited to have this surgery so that I can go back to my daughter fully healthy."

Olira is a sweet two-year-old boy from Ethiopia, whose joyful spirit brightens the lives of his parents and younger sister. His name, which means "From above," was chosen by his father in the hope that Olira's healing will come from a higher power. Olira loves to play with his sister and share precious moments with his family. Olira's father had qualified to attend university, but could not afford the tuition. Instead, he chose to enroll into a diploma course in agriculture in his hometown, and now earns a living as a gardener in the city. Unfortunately, his income is not enough to support the family, especially during recent challenging times. Olira’s uncle and other young people in the area find work in the woods burning charcoal for sale, but Olira's father is unable to join them due to a liver problem. When food runs low at home, Olira often visits his uncle's house to find something to eat. The past three years of drought have made farming nearly impossible, leading to severe food shortages in the region. As a result, Olira and many other children are not getting the nutrition they need. Olira's father wakes up early each day to search for work, often skipping meals himself to save money for the family's dinner. Olira was born with a condition called hypospadias, which affects his urinary function. Without treatment, he will continue to experience discomfort and could face future medical complications. His father took Olira to a local referral hospital but was faced with the heartbreaking reality of needing to purchase medicines, gloves, syringes, and other supplies that their family simply cannot afford. Desperate for help, they returned home without the treatment Olira needs. The family had received some support from church members to get to the referral hospital, but they quickly ran out of funds after paying for transport and initial medical expenses. A friend suggested reaching out to our medical partner's care center, BethanyKids MyungSung Christian Medical Center (BKMCM), known for its commitment to supporting families in need, and church members provided some assistance with transport. However, the challenge of affording ongoing medical care for Olira remains a significant hurdle. Fortunately, our medical partner Africa Mission Healthcare is helping Olira receive treatment. He is scheduled to undergo corrective surgery on August 8th that will restore normal bodily functions, improving his quality of life. Now, Olira's family needs help to fund this $1,293 procedure. Olira's father says: “I hope that my son will heal after the surgery. God is my source of hope. I will praise God if I see my child heal and be able to pass urine normally.”

Thy Cheng is a 37-year-old mother from Cambodia. She lives with her husband and three children in rural Koh Krong province, near the border with Thailand. Her husband works in construction, while Thy Cheng sells fish in the local market. While at home, she likes gardening and spending time with her kids. When she was a toddler, Thy Cheng had an ear infection. This infection caused a cholesteatoma, an abnormal collection of skin cells, to develop in the middle ear behind the ear drum. For this reason, Thy Cheng has been experiencing hearing loss, tinnitus, and ear discharge. It is difficult for her to communicate with people, and she is unable to work full-time due to frequent discomfort. Thy Cheng traveled to our medical partner's care center, Children's Surgical Centre, to receive treatment. On May 2nd, she will undergo a mastoidectomy procedure to remove the cholesteatoma. Thy Cheng is able to contribute $100 towards the cost of her treatment, and needs help raising $826 more to fund the procedure. Thy Cheng says, "I hope that my hearing will improve, so I can communicate better with my family and my customers."

Aye is a 33-year-old mother from Burma. She lives with her husband, mother, son, and three nephews. Aye and her mother take care of the household, while her husband works as a taxi driver and her son and nephews attend school. Her family also manages a small piece of land where they grow rice and raise livestock for their consumption and to provide additional income. In her leisure time, Aye enjoys staying updated with the news and watching movies on her phone. Aye was born with an atrial septal defect (ASD), a condition in which a hole exists between the two upper chambers of the heart. Sometimes, ASDs may close on their own during development, but sometimes, this condition requires surgery to repair the hole and prevent long-term damage to the heart and lungs. Aye is scheduled to undergo heart surgery on April 9th to correct the atrial septal defect and improve her quality of life. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to cover the cost of Aye's procedure and care. Aye said, "After I have recovered, I want to support my son to finish his education. I enjoy the routine of bringing him to school and picking him up afterward. Additionally, I have a plan to open a grocery store at home. Cooking is a passion of mine, and I love discovering new recipes online and bringing them to life in my kitchen."

Khin is a 48-year-old woman from Thailand. She lives with her husband and their four daughters in a village in Tak Province, Thailand. Khin is a homemaker and her husband works as an agricultural day labourer. Since 2018, Khin has been experiencing troubling symptoms including difficulty breathing and swallowing, stiffness in her neck, and fatigue. In addition, her voice turns hoarse when she speaks for extended periods. Khin was diagnosed with goiter or the irregular growth of the thyroid. The thyroid is the gland located in front of your neck and produces thyroid hormones. These hormones are responsible for functions such as metabolism, growth, and other bodily functions. She needs surgery to prevent her symptoms from getting worse. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is helping Khin receive treatment. She is scheduled to undergo a thyroidectomy on May 7th at Mae Sot General Hospital. Surgeons will remove all or part of her thyroid gland. This procedure will cost $1,500, and she and her family need help raising money. Khin said “I have had stress and depression since I learned I needed surgery because I cannot afford to pay for my treatment. I worried I would not be able to support my daughters. Currently, we only have my husband's income to support the family and that is not enough to cover the costs of the surgery."

Joselito, a 59-year-old father from the Philippines, works as a taxi driver and earns minimum wage. His income is insufficient to provide for his family of five, prompting him to take on extra jobs to make ends meet. Twenty years ago, Joselito began to experience troubling symptoms, including severe pain on the left side of his stomach, which radiated to his back. Initially, he tried drinking a lot of water to ease the pain, and it subsided. When he consulted with a doctor he was asked to take an ultrasound, but could not due to financial constraints. At the onset of an extremely painful episode, Joselito was rushed to a nearby hospital and was diagnosed with gallstones. He was advised to undergo a cholecystectomy, the surgical removal of the gallbladder. He was informed that if left untreated, his symptoms would continue to worsen and put him at risk of further health complications in the future. Unable to cover the cost of the necessary surgery, he was prescribed pain medication instead. Fortunately, Joselito then sought treatment through our medical partner, World Surgical Foundation Philippines (WSFP). He is scheduled to undergo a cholecystectomy on March 27th. A portion of the cost of the procedure is being supported by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and Jose is seeking support for the remaining $1,128. Joselito says, "Since I started to feel the symptoms attack more often, I had to reduce my work hours and this took a toll on the family's income and expenses. While my family worries about my health, I am worried that I will not be able to give them what they need because of my condition, so I deeply appreciate the assistance I am receiving for my medical care."

Ork is a 60-year-old retired construction worker. He is widowed with five children and one grandchild. Ork's four daughters are married and have moved out to surrounding villages. He currently lives with his son, daughter-in-law, and newborn grandchild. His son, a construction worker, shoulders the responsibility of providing for his family. Ork's daughter-in-law works in a nearby garment factory but is taking several months of leave to care for their newborn. Ork enjoys watching TV, listening to monks pray on the radio, and looking after his grandchild. Around ten years ago, Ork developed a cataract in his right eye, causing him to tear often and have blurry vision. A cataract is a clouding of the lens of the eye, so it is like looking through a frosty or fogged-up window. He has difficulty seeing things, including colors and faces, and is worried about falling when walking, so is not able to go places on his own. When Ork learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, he traveled for one and a half hours seeking treatment. On March 11th, doctors will perform a small incision cataract surgery and an intraocular lens implant in his right eye. After recovery, he will be able to see clearly. Now, he needs help to fund this $253 procedure. Ork said, “I hope after surgery I will be able to go to the pagoda by myself. I want to be able to do things on my own and help to take care of my family."

The birth of twins Jane and her sister brought joy to their parents. She is the 4th born in a family of five. She is a bright grade 1 student who likes reading, drawing and colouring. Her family hails from a small village, and both her parents are farmers. Soon after birth, her parents discovered the challenge of Jane being born with multiple birth conditions: Bilateral clubfeet, hydrocephalus, and spina bifida. They shared that they were quite shocked as they had not heard or experienced any of them before. Treatment for hydrocephalus and spina bifida required a collaborative effort between orthopaedic specialists and neurosurgeons. At ten days, she underwent a spina bifida surgery at a local hospital to address the neural tube defect affecting her spine and then hydrocephalus. Jane is a resilient girl and has overcome so much, carrying a big smile on her face. She now needs treatment for her clubfoot condition as her feet are bent inward, hindering her mobility. She is scheduled to undergo surgery, which will be impactful to her because she will be able to walk confidently like other children and continue with her education. “My desire is to see my daughter walking well and any kind of help is greatly appreciated,” Jane’s mother told us.

Edeau, who is 13 years old, lives in a farming community in southwest Haiti, with his godmother and his godmother's family. He is in the seventh grade. Earlier in his childhood, Edeau suffered from rheumatic fever, which severely damaged one of the four valves of his heart, making it difficult for his heart to pump blood through his body. Edeau requires surgery to correct his condition. On February 6th, surgeons at Welcare Hospital will replace Edeau's damaged valve with an artificial one, a $6,000 procedure, which is being subsidized by Gift of Life International. Our medical partner, International Cardiac Alliance, is seeking $1,500 to cover the costs associated with the pre-operative and post-operative care that Edeau will need, and the travel expenses for Edeau and his family. From Edeau: "I would like to say thank you to everyone who is helping me to get this surgery."

Naw Bay is a 36-year-old woman from Thailand. She lives with her husband and five children in a refugee camp in Mae Hong Son Province, Thailand. Originally from Karenni State, Burma, she and her family fled to the refugee camp in 2011 due to armed conflict in their area. Naw Bay is a homemaker, while her husband is a laboratory staff at the hospital in the refugee camp. All of her children go to school in the refugee camp. During her free time, Naw Bay enjoys foraging for bamboo shoots near the refugee camp. In 2018, Naw Bay gave birth to twin boys. She gave birth to her first son at the hospital in the refugee camp but had difficulty delivering her second son and had to undergo an emergency C-section at Mae Sariang Hospital. Afterwards, she had postpartum hemorrhage and anemia. In January 2023, Naw Bay became pregnant again and has been receiving regular antenatal care at the hospital in the refugee camp. Doctor told her she would need to have a C-section again so that doctors can ensure the safety of both mother and child. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is helping Naw Bay undergo a C-Section on October 4th. This procedure will cost $1500, and Naw Bay and her family need your support. Naw Bay hopes for a better life for her and her family in the future. She said, “I would love to relocate to another country so that my children can have a better future."

Roem is a mother of four from Cambodia. She lives in Kampong Chnang province with her husband. She is a retired rice farmer and her husband still works in the nearby rice fields. All of their children have left the province to seek work closer to the capital city. At home, Roem likes listening to music and cooking. In 2019, while she was walking near her house, Roem tripped over a rope and broke her left hip. After enduring pain for six months, she decided to travel several hours to a hospital in the north of the country where she had surgery. After surgery, her hip improved slightly, but she is still having trouble walking and takes regular pain medications. She often wakes up at night from the pain. Fortunately, Roem learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre. At CSC, surgeons can perform a total hip replacement to relieve Roem of her pain and allow her to walk easily. Treatment is scheduled for December 4th, and Roem needs help raising $1,118 to pay for this procedure. She shared, "I hope I can walk again and be able to stop the pain so I can help more around my house."

Naw Aye is a 28-year-old woman who lives with her husband, son, sister-in-law, brother, two nephews, and two nieces in a refugee camp in Mae Hong Son Province, Thailand. Originally from across the Burmese border in a conflict-area called Karen State, she fled to the refugee camp with her family in February 2023 due to airstrikes on her village. Her husband and her brother are unemployed, while her son, nieces, and nephews go to school. She and her sister-in-law are homemakers. During her free time, she loves to play with her son and enjoys planting vegetables in her small garden. She is currently expecting her second child. Her doctors recommended that she deliver via cesarean section because In January 2020, when Naw Aye was pregnant with her first child, her water broke prematurely which put her baby's life at risk. She was brought to a hospital in Burma, where she gave birth to her son through a caesarean section (C-section). In February, after they had fled to the refugee camp, Naw Aye became pregnant. She went to the hospital in the refugee camp regularly for antenatal care. She was told during one of her visits that although her pregnancy was going well, she would need to give birth through a C-section to ensure the safety of both mother and child. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, will help ensure a safe C-section on November 3rd. This procedure costs $1500, and Naw Aye needs your support. “I want to sell sacks or Mohinga (Burmese soup) for extra income soon. But I don’t have enough cash to start doing that, and I am pregnant. I hope I can do that after I give birth,” Naw Aye said.