Gift is a young child from Kenya--a playful and lively boy. His mother told us that he likes reading and playing with other kids. Gift is the last born in his family that hails from Mathare neighborhood in Nairobi County. His mother does casual jobs of washing clothes and cleaning. His father passed on two years ago after an accident. The family lives in a one-roomed ironsheet house in Mathare. Gift has 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. Fortunately, Gift traveled to visit our medical partner's care center, AIC Cure International Hospital. There, surgeons will perform clubfoot repair surgery on September 14th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,286 to fund Gift's clubfoot repair. After treatment, he will be able to walk easily and wear shoes. “I am appealing to people of goodwill to help my son undergo surgery so that he can be able to walk like other children. God bless you," his mother told us.

Solomon is a young boy from Kenya who four months ago was diagnosed with a right undescended testis. This is a condition where testis are not in a scrotal sac as expected in a baby boy soon after birth. Solomon arrived at the hospital today in the company of his mother and grandmother. His mother walks in with a limp and a crutch for support. Solomon is quick to grab a seat for his mother, something that depicts how respectful he is. While giving him a bath recently, Solomon’s mother noticed a slight swell on his groin which was painful. Solomon confessed that it had been there for some time but really never bothered him. Solomon’s mother took him to the nearest hospital where he was diagnosed and surgery recommended. Solomon was diagnosed with cryptorchidism, a condition in which one or both of the testicles remains undescended. The cost of surgery was however way too high for them to cover. Recently, a friend advised that they visit Watsi Partner BethanyKids Kijabe where they could better access financial assistance. The diagnosis has been confirmed and surgery is advised. If not treated, Solomon is at a risk of suffering fertility issues, testicular cancer and/ or inguinal hernia. Solomon is the firstborn of three children and lives with his parents and siblings in a one-room house in Central Kenya. While Kenya has a national health insurance system, his parents have passed difficulties that have led to them to defaulting on NHIF premiums for quite some time--a situation that is common in Kenya. However, the hospital team counseled them on its importance and they promised to try and keep up with the payments. The little savings the family had were exhausted in getting treatment for Solomon’s mother who was involved in an accident sometimes back. Solomon’s father, the sole breadwinner, practices subsistence farming and at times takes up casual farming jobs to sustain his family’s needs. They are therefore appealing for help towards Solomon’s surgical care. Solomon will be receiving assistance from our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF). Fortunately, he is scheduled to undergo corrective surgery on January 30th. AMHF is requesting $535 to cover the total cost of his procedure and care. “I want to be a teacher when I grow up,” says Solomon.

San is a 63-year-old woman who has an uncomfortable gynecological condition and was referred to Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF), our medical partner. She is originally from Burma but moved to Thailand after her husband passed away. She has seven children. Two years ago, San started to feel tightness around her lower abdomen. She began to experience troubling gynecological and urinary symptoms. At our medical partner's clinic, she was given oral medication and sent to the hospital for some investigative testing. Our medical partner's doctors concluded that she needs to have surgery. In the last few weeks, San has been experiencing bleeding and pain. She cannot walk long distances or sit for too long. Fortunately, on April 6, San will undergo a hysterectomy to remove her uterus. Our medical partner, BCMF, is requesting $1,500 to fund her treatment.

Santos is a 29-year-old husband and father who lives with his wife and daughter in rural Guatemala. He has cataracts, a condition in which the normally clear lens of the eye becomes cloudy. His condition makes it difficult for him to see, and his vision is becoming worse over time. Until recently, Santos worked in the fields, but his failing eyesight has made it impossible for him to keep working. If left untreated, his cataracts will continue to grow, and he will eventually go blind. Thus, our medical partner has scheduled surgery for March 4. Since Santos has not been able to work, his wife has been weaving in order to add to the family’s income. Santos is unable to afford surgery without outside help. For this reason, our medical partner, Wuqu' Kawoq, is requesting $1,500 to fund the surgery. The treatment will include further evaluation from an eye specialist, surgery to remove his cataracts, a post-op follow-up treatment, and transportation throughout his treatment process. The surgery will positively impact Santos’s life for years to come by allowing him to provide for his family and see his daughter grow up. "My wife and I are very happy, because, God willing, I will be able to see and therefore continue to take care of my family," says Santos. "Thanks very much to you all for the help."

Robert is a 36-year-old butcher from Rushambya in rural Uganda. Robert has four children and of the four, three attend primary school. Robert works as a butcher at a local pork joint, and also serves on the defense committee of his community. Robert has been living with a painful hernia for the last eight years. Over time, his hernia has gotten worse and become more painful, causing him difficulty while working and walking. Through our medical partner, The Kellermann Foundation, Robert will undergo hernia repair surgery on June 6. He is requesting $229 to cover the total cost of his procedure. After surgery, Robert is looking forward to continuing his work and hopes that in the near future he will be able to start his own pork joint. Robert says, “I thank the donors for supporting my treatment. May God richly bless them.”

Maung Chit is 43 years old and the father of a large family. He lives with his family in Burma. He works very hard as a day laborer, employed by several large farms. In April 2016, Maung Chit experienced an accident while unloading timber from a wagon. A portion of the load fell on top of him and broke his right leg above the ankle. In June 2016, he made the four-hour journey to a clinic, where an X-ray of his leg was taken. He was referred to our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF), to examine the large bulge on his leg, which was preventing him from walking. In December 2016, Maung Chit underwent an internal and external fixation surgery. Maung Chit now needs another surgery to remove the rod placed during his first operation. Our medical partner, BCMF, is requesting $1,500 for this procedure.

Bunthan is a 32-year-old farmer from Cambodia. He is happily married and has two sons. Bunthan makes instruments for fishing and plants vegetables behind his home. In his spare time, he enjoys watching boxing matches. On January 2, 2007, Bunthan was in an accident that left him with a fracture. He went to a Khmer traditional healer for treatment. Six years later, he got into another accident. Bunthan went to a private clinic, where doctors attached a plate and screws to his humerus. The plate helped his injury heal but has recently started to cause pain and discomfort. Doctors at our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), have scheduled surgery on February 14 to perform a plate removal from his left humerus. CSC is requesting $411 to fund this procedure. Bunthan looks forward to being free from pain.

Astania lives in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, and has three older brothers and one older sister. Her father works in construction. Her mother normally sells rice in the marketplace, but has stopped in order to care for Astania. Astania was born with a cardiac condition called ventricular septal defect. A hole exists between the two lower chambers of her heart. Blood leaks through this hole without first passing through the lungs to obtain oxygen, leaving her severely fatigued. In February of 2016, Astania underwent a procedure to stabilize her heart and allow it to grow larger, so that a complete repair could be attempted later with lower risk. Astania will undergo a second surgery soon to completely fix her heart defect. First, Astania will undergo a full cardiac assessment on January 19. This assessment will include physical exams, labs, and an overnight stay at the hospital. Our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance, is requesting $1,500 to fund these procedures. Funding for Astania also covers the cost of medications and social support for her and her family. Gift of Life International is contributing $3,500 to cover additional costs associated with Astania's surgical care. "We are so happy," said Astania's mother, "that after this surgery Astania will be a normal healthy child!"

Netra is a 15-year-old boy from Nepal. He lives with his parents and siblings. His father works in India to support his family, and his mother farms and looks after cattle. Netra is a student currently in the ninth grade. Netra was grazing his cattle when he stumbled on a stone and broke his left hand. Since his accident, his hand has been swollen, and he has been unable to go to school and be independent. On March 19, Netra will undergo orthopedic surgery at Bayalpata Hospital, our medical partner's care center, to repair his hand. Our medical partner, Possible, is asking for $541 to fund his surgery and accompanying medication, lab, hospital, and medical supply fees. Netra's uncle is looking forward to Netra's successful recovery!

Lun is an 82-year-old man from Cambodia. He is married and has four children and eight grandchildren. He likes to listen to the monks pray on the radio, read books on Buddhism, and meditate at the pagoda. Recently, Lun developed cataracts in both eyes, causing blurred vision, tearing, cloudy lenses, and photophobia, an extreme sensitivity to light. He now has difficulty seeing things clearly, recognizing the faces of family and friends, and reading. He has also been unable to perform work around the house or go outside by himself. Lun heard about our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre, from a neighbor in his village who had surgery there before. Lun traveled with his grandson, reaching the center in hopes of receiving treatment. "I hope my eyes can see everything more clearly than now,” Lun says, “so that I can recognize the faces of everyone, read, and do any kind of work easily." Lun is scheduled to undergo cataract surgery on January 17. Our medical partner is requesting $292 to cover the cost of the operation, lens implants for each eye, and medication. After surgery, Lun will be able to see clearly again.

"I am so excited that I will be able to undergo surgery,” Elsie shares. “I have been praying for this.” Elsie is a 34-year-old mother of two from the Philippines. Sometimes, her husband’s income as a day laborer is not enough to meet their family's daily basic needs. Because she believes education will help her children out of poverty, Elsie has called on her family to help pay for her children’s schooling fees. Now, however, Elsie is seeking financial help for her own urgent needs. For some time, Elsie has been experiencing severe leg cramps and numbness during menstruation. This prevents her from performing her daily household chores and from taking care of her children. Elsie endured the pain until she was able to access a free medical consultation with our medical partner, International Care Ministries. The clinician there diagnosed her with uterine fibroids. Although these growths in Elsie’s uterus are non-cancerous, without treatment they can lead to complications such as anemia, urinary tract infections, and infertility. Fortunately, Elsie will avoid these outcomes by undergoing a hysterectomy on February 17. We can sponsor this operation, as well as its associated lab tests, supplies, and five-day hospital stay, for $187. This treatment will restore Elsie to a physically comfortable day-to-day existence. “I am excited to live a life free of pain," she says.

Nan is a 44-year-old woman with one son and one daughter. She likes to cook, look after her children, and take care of her home. In July, a cow hit Nan's right elbow, causing a dislocation. She initially visited a Khmer traditional healer for treatment, but her symptoms did not improve. It is difficult for Nan to use her right arm, and she is unable to cook for her family. Nan heard about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC) from a radio program, and she traveled for four hours with her husband to reach CSC for treatment. On October 26, surgeons performed an open reduction internal fixation procedure to relocate and secure her right elbow. She needs help to fund this $411 procedure.