Farah is 53 years old and a father of eight from Ethiopia. He lives with his family in a refugee camp in Turkana after fleeing instability in search of safety. Despite difficult conditions, he has worked hard to support and care for his family. Last year, Farah fractured his left leg after slipping during heavy rains that flooded the camp. More recently, he was injured again while trying to avoid a motorbike, resulting in a fracture of his right leg. He is now in pain and unable to move freely, leaving him unable to care for his family. Fortunately, on April 17th, surgeons at our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, will perform surgery to repair his fracture. Farah is raising $1,500 to fund the procedure, which will relieve his pain and help him regain mobility. Farah said, “I am unable to walk, and even sitting for long is exhausting. I long to get better and be able to stand and walk again.”

Charlina is a baby girl from Haiti. She lives with her parents in a city on the southern coast; her father works in construction, and her mother currently stays home to care for her. Charlina has a cardiac condition called double outlet right ventricle. one of the major blood vessels carrying blood from her heart is attached to the heart at an anatomically abnormal location, which prevents blood from circulating normally through her heart and body. She also has Down syndrome. Charlina will fly to the Dominican Republic to undergo surgery on March 18th. As Charlina's heart is still too small to completely repair this condition, she will undergo cardiac surgery, where doctors will implant a shunt in her heart that will help blood circulate more normally, and keep her safe and healthy until she has reached an age where a full repair is possible. Our medical partner, International Cardiac Alliance, is contributing $4500.00 to pay for the surgery. Charlina's family also needs help to fund the costs of surgery prep. They need help raising $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 from our medical partner, who will accompany Charlina's family overseas. Charlina's mother shared, "I am hopeful that after this surgery Charlina will have more appetite and energy than she does now!"

Nwet is 41 years old and a mother of three from Burma. She and her husband live in a refugee village in Phop Phra District, Tak Province, Thailand. They moved from Burma to Thailand in 2020 in search of better job opportunities. Nwet's daughter and two sons are studying in Burma and live with her mother-in-law. She and her husband are agricultural workers. Since January 2023, Nwet has been experiencing troubling symptoms, including swelling on her left neck. She was diagnosed with thyroid goiter. 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 Nwet receive treatment. She is scheduled to undergo a thyroidectomy on February 17th. 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. Nwet said, “Thank you so much to BCMF and the donors for helping me with my treatment cost.” Her husband added, “I am really grateful that my wife will receive support for her surgery costs. By ourselves, we cannot afford this. Thank you so much from the bottom of my heart.”

Yonas is a quiet and shy 10-year-old from Ethiopia who loves playing football, making handmade crafts, and helping his mother around the house. Yonas lives with his parents and his youngest cousin. His mother is a teacher at a government school, and his father is a security guard at a bank, though he will be stopping work this month. Together, his parents work hard to support the family and meet their basic needs. Most of their income is spent on food, making it challenging to afford medical bills and medication. Yonas was born with hypospadias, a condition that causes urinary dysfunction. His mother was unable to find a health center to address his needs and was advised by relatives to leave the condition as it was. However, when Yonas was four years old, another relative noticed the condition and informed his mother that the symptoms were unusual. Distressed for her son and fearful of the stigma associated with this condition, she felt overwhelmed and hopeless. After moving to Addis Ababa, Yonas's mother took him to a hospital, where they were referred to a pediatric specialty hospital. The doctor reassured her that surgical intervention could correct the condition, which gave her hope; however, they were also informed that there was a waiting list for the surgery. Yonas's mother continued to worry whenever he fell ill, fearing it might be related to his condition. After waiting five months, she finally received a call from the referral hospital informing her that Yonas had been referred to our medical partner's hospital, BKMCM Hospital. Fortunately, Yonas will undergo corrective surgery on January 15th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1,293 to cover the cost of his procedure and care. Without treatment, he will continue to experience uncomfortable symptoms and will be at risk of future complications. Yonas's mom said, "I wish my child could be as healthy as other children and safely complete his surgery. I long for the day when we can put this ordeal behind us."

Kalkidan is a one-year-old girl from Ethiopia. She is a delightful baby girl with a natural curiosity, always eager to explore her surroundings and engage in playful activities with her siblings. As the fourth child in her family, her entrance into the world was marked by a moment of profound distress for her mother; on the day of her birth, Kalkidan's eldest brother was gravely ill and in the ICU. This backdrop of anxiety cast a shadow over her arrival, as her family rallied in hopes of supporting her brother's recovery. Kalkidan lives with her parents and her three siblings, a sister and two brothers, in a rented home. Her mother, a dedicated housewife, manages the household, while her father works as a daily laborer, striving to provide for the family. They often face financial challenges, sometimes prompting her mother to request additional time from the landlord to meet their rent obligations. At one point, their economic struggles led to a separation that lasted for some time as they struggled to feed their children. Their journey to our medical partner's care center, BethanyKids Myungsung Christian Medical Centre (BKMCM), has sparked excitement, as there is a glimmer of hope for medical intervention for Kalkidan's condition. Kalkidan was born with an anorectal malformation, a condition that leads to a complete or partial intestinal blockage. She needs to undergo a series of procedures to eliminate bowel dysfunction. Kalkidan is scheduled to undergo surgery to correct her condition on December 16th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1,500 to cover the total cost of Kalkidan's procedure and care. After her recovery, Kalkidan will no longer experience bowel dysfunction or be at risk of developing health complications in the future. Kalkidan's mother expressed her heartfelt gratitude, stating, "I am profoundly thankful for this invaluable service and the divine support that is about to make it possible for my daughter to undergo her surgery and treatment. May God bless each one of you."

Savoeun is a 53-year-old man from Kompong Thom province in Cambodia. He is married with three children; his eldest is a university student, his second born is in grade 10, and his youngest is in kindergarten. His wife sells vegetables at a local market to support the family. In his free time, Savoeun enjoys planting fruits and vegetables and feeding his hens. He used to work as a construction worker but can no longer do this due to his condition. In 2010, Savoeun was in a motorbike accident and fractured several bones. He was prescribed steroids for pain. Over time, he developed avascular necrosis of his hip, a condition where the blood supply to the ball-shaped part of the thigh bone (femoral head) is disrupted, leading to bone death. He has undergone several surgeries, including a left hip replacement but he suffers from chronic infections in the hip prosthesis. He also experiences pain and fever, and is now seeking further treatment to regain mobility and reduce pain. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Center, is helping Savoeun receive treatment. On November 12th, he will undergo an uncemented hip replacement procedure on his left hip. Savoeun is able to afford only $50 for his treatment, and needs help to raise an additional $1,450 to cover surgery, a special prosthesis, medications, post-operative care, and rehabilitation. Savoeun says: "After surgery, I hope that I will no longer have pain, and will be able to walk properly without using crutches, so I can resume work to support my family."