Mary is an eight-year-old girl. She is a talkative and playful young girl. She is the last born in a family of seven children and the family is not well off financially. Both of her parents do casual jobs like ploughing people's farms for a living and such jobs are not easy to find where they live. Sometimes the church members chip in to help them where they can. When Mary was one year old, she was involved in an accident where she sustained burns to her head, some parts of her face and neck. She was rushed to the hospital and was admitted for better care. While in the hospital, a surgery was done on her head where she had sustained more burns. She was then discharged and booked for wound dressing clinics. The wounds were healing well as per the doctors’ plan. Her parents managed to take her for the clinics for a few months but later stopped because of finances. While at home, the wound got infected but due to lack of funds, she was not taken to hospital at that time. Time went by and the infection spread to most parts of the head. When she was three years old, the family met up with a local pastor who started helping them. He started financing Mary’s hospital visits with the help of some church members where he ministered. The wound was dressed again but the recovery process was very slow. In mid this year, the pastor brought them to Kijabe Hospital, she was examined, and the wound was dressed properly. Since then, the wound has been healing as expected. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Mary receive treatment. On December 9th, surgeons will perform a debridement and skin graft procedure to help the remaining wound to heal properly. Now, Mary's family needs help to fund this $1,185 procedure. Mary’s father says, "Since the accident, we have been struggling a lot to make her get the required treatment but have failed to some extent. Coming to Kijabe, our hopes have been boosted greatly with the improvement she has experienced, and we hope that she will go through with the surgery and be well again.”

Maribeth is a caring mother from the Philippines. She's a full-time mom to her three children, while her husband works as a grinder. In May 2022, Maribeth began to experience troubling symptoms, including fatigue, trembling hands, and masses on her neck that were growing in size. These symptoms prevent her from being able to take care of her children and do her daily chores. Maribeth sought a medical checkup, where doctors told her to undergo a neck ultrasound and biopsy. Her results indicated that she is experiencing a multiple colloid adenomatous goiter. This condition occurs when tumor formation occurs, caused by an overgrowth of thyroid tissue cells. Maribeth needs surgery to prevent her symptoms from worsening. Fortunately, our medical partner, World Surgical Foundation Philippines (WSFP), is helping Maribeth receive treatment. On November 11th, she will undergo a thyroidectomy at WSFP's hospital. During this procedure, surgeons will remove all or part of her thyroid gland. The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation is supporting a portion of the cost of her treatment, and WSFP is raising $890 to cover the remaining cost of Maribeth's procedure and care. Maribeth says, "This free surgery is a big help for me because we don't have enough money to pay for my bills. To all the hospital staff who are helping me, to WATSI and World Surgical Foundation Philippines, thank you! May God bless you, and may you help more people in need."

Teresiah is a quiet but social mother of three children, who lives with her family in Kenya. She is a small-scale farmer while her husband works as a casual laborer. Teresiah's children are all in school and she has big hopes for their future. Teresiah started experiencing severe epigastric pains intermittently. She has visited many hospitals without much success. Finally, at Nazareth Hospital, an ultrasound scan examination was done, and it showed that Teresiah has Cholelithiasis - gall stones. In addition to the severe pain she is experiencing, Teresiah might also develop complications like inflammation of the pancreas, gall bladder, or gall bladder obstruction. The surgeons advised that she needs to undergo surgery to treat her condition. Teresiah is not in a position to fund her treatment and she therefore requests for help. She needs $788 to fund her surgery. Teresiah says, "Having kids in school and not being able to take care of them is very difficult. I humbly ask for assistance and medical attention. I want to take care of my family and return to my regular life."

Chaw is 20-year-old who lives with his parents and three younger sister in a refugee camp. Chaw's sisters go to school, his mother is a homemaker and his father and brother work as agricultural day labourers. Chaw's brother lives on his employer's land and sends the family what money he can every month. After his accident, Chaw stopped working on the same farm as his brother. In his free time, before his accident, Chaw liked to play football with his friends and visit with them. In 2020, Chaw was carrying corn to the peeling machine where he worked and he slipped and hit his left lower leg against the fan of the machine. Chaw was in a great deal of pain and was brought to the hospital. Chaw was told that his left lower leg was broken, and underwent surgery to insert a steel rod into his leg. This past January, Chaw noticed a mass on his left lower leg, where he had received surgery. The mass was very painful and felt hot to the touch. Over time, the mass increased in size until his whole lower left leg became swollen. Although he received surgery to remove the mass, Chaw's leg never fully healed. Eventually he was diagnosed with osteomyelitis and was told the steel rod in his leg would need to be replaced. Chaw is in a lot of pain and his lower left leg continues to be swollen and red. He cannot sleep well and needs crutches and assistance to move around. With the help of our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF), Chaw will undergo surgery to reset his fractured bones and ensure proper healing. The procedure is scheduled for September 6th and BCMF is raising $1,500 to cover the cost of this life-changing procedure that will help Chaw walk free of pain. Chaw shared, “I am happy that I will receive surgery with the help of the organisation [Burma Children Medical Fund] and I am thankful to all of the donors. In the future I want to get better quickly. I will find a new job and support my family.”

Hadija is a 14-year-old fourth grade student from Tanzania who started school late due to her condition. Her father works as a small-scale farmer, and he provides for their family's basic needs through farming. When she was five years old, Hadija had intense malaria, which was managed. Over time, her parents eventually noticed that her leg was twisted slightly inward and that she had trouble walking. However, her parents could not take her to a health center due to financial constraints. They instead massaged her foot daily, but this unfortunately did not help, and her leg progressively worsened. A few years after joining school, a teacher noticed her leg and directed her parents to a hospital for care. Hadija was diagnosed with clubfoot of her left foot. Clubfoot is a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape. This causes difficulty walking and even wearing shoes. Fortunately, Hadija and her parents traveled to visit our medical partner's care center, Arusha Lutheran Medical Centre. There, surgeons will perform clubfoot repair surgery on August 12th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $935 to fund Hadija's surgery. After treatment, she will be able to continue with her studies and walk without straining. Her mother says, "We had given up on treatment, but we now have hope that Hadija is going to get better."

Chhorn is a 56-year-old rice and vegetable farmer from Cambodia. He is married and has three sons and one daughter. Two of his sons are married and work in construction. Chhorn enjoys talking with friends, listening to the news on the radio, and watching TV. Two years ago, Chhorn began experiencing hip pain and is now unable to walk. He has avascular necrosis of the right and left hip, meaning a lack of blood supply is causing the death of the bone tissue in his hips. Fortunately, a neighbor told Chhorn about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC). At CSC's care center, surgeons will perform a total hip replacement to relieve Chhorn of his pain and allow him to walk easily. Treatment is scheduled for July 20th. Chhorn needs help raising $1,118 to pay for this procedure. Chhorn says, "I hope I can walk without pain after my surgery."

Meet Thib, a 21-year-old who has two brothers and two sisters. All of his siblings are married, except for his youngest sister. Thib's parents are farmers. In his free time, Thib enjoys playing football, going fishing, and helping his family do housework. Last November, Thib was in a motor vehicle accident, where he sustained multiple injuries. He arrived at our Medical Partner Children's Surgical Centre (CSC) with a heel laceration and a tibia fracture. The tibia fracture is now infected, and the wound on his heel remains open. Thib requires surgery to clean the wound and to repair the fracture. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is seeking $991 to fund the necessary procedure, which is scheduled for June 14th at Kien Khleang National Rehabilitation Centre. After he has recovered, Thib should be able to resume all of his daily activities, free from pain. Thib says: "I hope after surgery my leg is healed and I have no more infection or pain. I want to walk well enough to return to work."

Erna is a 41-year-old woman and small business owner from the Philippines. She makes a small income from her grilled skewers and juice selling business, along with her husband's work as a company driver. Having had a family history of myoma, a type of tumor that can occur in the uterus, Erna frequently checked herself as a precaution. Unfortunately, in January 2022, she found a mass which was causing minor pain. Erna sought medical consultation and found out that she has myoma. This condition needs to be treated surgically. Erna cannot afford to cover her treatment on her own. Fortunately, a rural health worker helped her reach out to our medical partner, the World Surgical Foundation Philippines. On April 29th, Erna will undergo a hysterectomy to manage her condition and prevent further risk. Our medical partner, World Surgical Foundation Philippines, is requesting $1,485 to cover the total cost of her procedure and care. Once she recovers, she will no longer have a hypogastric mass or be at risk of developing severe health complications in the future. “We were anxious when we found out about my condition. It’s also especially hard for us to think where to find the money to finance my surgery," Erna shared. "The support coming from World Surgical Foundation Philippines and Watsi will be a big help for me and my family. Thank you so much for helping people like me," she added.

Esther is a sweet 2-year-old from Haiti. She lives with her parents, grandparents, and several siblings and cousins in a neighbordhood of Port-au-Prince. Esther's parents are both market vendors. Esther was born with down syndrome and later diagnosed with a cardiac condition called ventricular septal defect. This means there is a hole between the two lower chambers of Esther's heart. Blood leaks through this hole without passing through her lungs to obtain oxygen, leaving her weak and short of breath. On April 20th, Esther will fly to Dominican Republic to undergo cardiac surgery to close the hole in her heart using a patch. This surgery is not available in Haiti and her family has been waiting for her to be able to travel for this life-saving care. Haiti Cardiac Alliance is contributing $8,000 to pay for her surgery. Esther's family needs additional assistance covering $1,500 for labs, medicines, and follow-up appointments. This amount also supports passport obtainment and the social workers who will accompany Esther's family overseas. Esther's mother shared, "We are very hopeful that after the surgery, our daughter will have more appetite and less weakness."

Ikram is a charming and friendly 3-year-old boy. He's the youngest in a family of four children. Ikram’s mother works as “mamantilie”, which is a phrase used for women cooking street foods. His father is a casual laborer who seeks daily jobs like working at construction sites. Ikram was diagnosed with genu valgus. His legs bow so that his knees touch. This condition is typically caused by an excessive accumulation of fluoride in the bones, which often stems from contaminated drinking water. As a result, He has a difficult time walking and playing. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $880 to fund corrective surgery for Ikram. The procedure is scheduled to take place on March 17th. Treatment will hopefully restore Ikram's mobility, allow him to participate in a variety of activities, and greatly decrease his risk of future complications. Ikram’s mother shared with us how happy she will be to see her son able to walk like other children.

Erlando is a playful three-year-old boy from the Philippines who loves to giggle and watch Tik Tok videos. Erlando was born with a congenital abnormality that leads to intestinal complications. This condition requires Erlando to go through a series of corrective procedures to eliminate the abnormality and reduce the risk of life-threatening complications. Erlando's parents sew uniforms for a living and work hard to earn enough to sustain their daily needs. Our medical partner, World Surgical Foundation Philippines, is helping Erlando's parents raise $1,279 to cover the total cost of Erlando's procedure and care. He is scheduled to undergo corrective surgery on February 16th and after his recovery, Erlando will be able to live a happier and healthier life. Erlando's mother shared," This surgery will be the biggest blessing our child will ever receive given our economic situation. It will be a such a relief to see him grow up healthy."

Ngasungui is a five-month-old baby girl and the youngest child in a family of five children. Her parents have five cows and five goats, and they make a living selling milk to their neighbors. Ngasungui was born with clubfoot of both feet. Clubfoot is a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape. This causes difficulty walking and even wearing shoes. A visiting doctor referred Ngasungai's parents to our medical partner's care center for treatment. Fortunately, Ngasunguii and her parents traveled to visit our medical partner's care center, Arusha Lutheran Medical Centre. On December 17th, surgeons there will perform clubfoot repair surgery. Now, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), is requesting $935 to fund Ngasungui's procedure and care. After treatment, she will be able to walk easily and her self esteem will not be affected by her condition. Ngasungui’s mother shared, "I pray that my child gets this treatment and everything goes well. I want her to live and grow without disability."