Nov is a 48-year-old rainy day rice farmer and part-time construction worker. Nov is married and has three children. His two sons work in a local factory making clothing and his daughter is in grade ten at the local high school. Nov's wife helps him with farming and sells fruit from their farm on the roadside to help pay for their daughter's school. He likes to go fishing and spend time with friends when he's not working. In December 2021, Nov was on his way home from selling bags of rice to a local distributor, when he collided with a tractor on a bumpy road. His femur was fractured. He spent a month in the local hospital, but his fracture did not heal. Now, Nov is unable to walk and can only move around in a wheelchair. He cannot care for himself and is in constant pain. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, can help. On January 5th, Nov will undergo a fracture repair procedure, which will cost $465. An open reduction and internal fixation of his femur will help the bone to heal properly so that he can walk again. Nov said, "I hope I will be able to walk again and no longer have pain. I need to work so I can support my family."

Razack is a 1-year-old baby boy and the first child in his small growing family. He's a very charming and friendly little boy. Razack's parents are subsistence farmers who farm maize, sunflower,s and beans. They are not able to afford the medical treatment that Razack needs. Razack has clubfoot of his left foot. Clubfoot is a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape. This causes difficulty walking and even wearing shoes. Fortunately, Razack traveled to visit our medical partner's care center, Arusha Lutheran Medical Centre. There, surgeons will perform clubfoot repair surgery on November 18th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $935 to fund Razack's clubfoot repair. After treatment, he will be able to walk easily. Razack’s mother says, “Please help my son get this treatment so he can be able to walk properly. He tries to walk but you can see the difficulty as he is walking.”

U Hla is a 42-year-old man from Burma. He lives in a monastery with his daughter in Mon State. U Hla spends most of him time volunteering at the monastery, cooking and cleaning for the monks. Sometimes, he works as a motorcycle taxi driver. His daughter goes to school and the abbot pays for her school fees. For the past 20 years, U Hla has suffered from recurring infections. Two weeks ago, he developed an ulcer on his backside and now U Hla is in pain and he cannot sleep well. Fortunately, our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is helping U Hla receive treatment. On October 28th, surgeons will perform a debridement to help the ulcer heal and stop him from being in pain. Now, U Hla needs help to fund this $694 procedure. "I just want to be healthy and live with my family happily,” U Hla said.

Joffrey is three years old and the only child of his young parents. He's a playful and curious boy who wants to know and understand everything around him. He is a big lover of football just like his father despite his legs being curved. His mother said she thinks he's too cheeky for his age. Joffrey has not started school yet but he keeps asking his mother to take him to school. Both Joffrey's parents are small-scale farmers who grow maize, groundnuts, rice, and vegetables. They get most of their food from what they grow on their farm. Joffrey was recently diagnosed with bilateral genu varus. His legs bow outward so that his knees do not 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 feels pain even after a short walk. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $880 to fund corrective surgery for Joffrey. The procedure is scheduled to take place on October 7th. Treatment will hopefully restore Joffrey's mobility, allow him to participate in a variety of activities, and greatly decrease his risk of future complications. Joffrey’s father says: “My son’s legs are worsening as days go by and from how I see it he might not be able to walk or enjoy his play, especially football, if he does not have this needed surgery.”

Kidus is a cute baby boy who loves to walk. His dad enjoys walking with him and holding his hand, and Kidus loves it when his mom carries him on her back. He also loves to watch cartoons. Kidus's dad and mom love each other so much and have a happy life together. Kidus's father is a tailor. His income is very limited and barely enough to sustain the family through the month, but love fills their home, and their lives, with happiness. When Kidus was born his parents learned that he had bladder exstrophy, a rare condition where children are born with an open bladder. His parents faced a challenge that they did not expect in their life, but they are facing it with courage. Kidus needs surgery to perform a procedure to divert his urination to the anal opening & make a pouch bladder from the bowel. He will undergo this surgery on September 28th with our medical partner African Mission Healthcare (AMH) and his family needs $1,500 for the procedure. Kidus's dad said, “For thirteen days after his birth we worked hard to get him treatment but no one in the health centres could help us. Some health workers gave us hope and some health workers did not give us any hope." He is hopeful for after surgery, “After he gets his surgery and recovers I want to tell him the truth about his condition and what we went through as a result of it when he grows up. Also, I want to tell him how he got the treatment, about the people who helped him, how God helped him and gave him this healthy life. I will tell him this so he grows up grateful and he lives to support and help others. I want him to be good and caring and God-fearing. I want him to be there for others. I believe kindness is contagious.”

Han is a 49-year-old farmer who lives in from southern Cambodia near the Mekong river. He lives in Prey Veng province with his wife and their six children. His oldest son recently got married, and Han now has his first grandchild. He works on a farm seasonally when work is available, and when he is not working he likes to cook, garden, and watch TV. In October 2010, Han was in motor vehicle accident that caused fractures in both legs. He went to an emergency clinic, where doctors amputated his right leg and fixated hardware to heal the fracture in his left leg. His left leg has healed well, but the hardware still causes discomfort and pain. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, can help. On July 8th, Han will undergo a hardware removal procedure, which will cost $230. This procedure will remove the hardware from his left leg and allow Han to feel fully recovered and go about his daily activities without pain. Han shared, "I am happy to finally have this hardware out, so I can feel my normal leg again."

Naing is a 46-year-old-man who lives with his mother, wife, sister, son and two daughters in Karen State in the border area of Burma. Naing used to work in a teashop as a baker but stopped four years ago when his health deteriorated. His son is also unemployed, unable to find work ever since the COVID-19 pandemic broke out in Burma more than a year ago. They all rely on Naing’s wife, who works as a vendor in the market, to get by. She earns about 150,000 kyat (approx. 150 USD) a month, which they shared is not enough to cover their household expenses. In 2014, Naing received surgery for a right inguinal hernia with the help of his employer. Then, four years ago in 2017, he noticed that he had a small lump on his left side. Over time, the small lump increased in size and shifted downwards, causing pain and discomfort that made it impossible for Naing to continue working at the teashop. Although Naing knew that he most likely is having another hernia, since he was experiencing the same symptoms as before, he did not have enough money to pay for surgery. Therefore, he tried to cope with the pain and discomfort without treatment. In June, Naing’s friend advised for him to go to Ananda Myitta Clinic, a charity clinic in his city to ask for help accessing treatment. Naing and his friend went to the clinic, where they talked to the founder. The founder then referred Naing to another organization called Health for All who help put him in touch with our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF), for assistance accessing surgery for his hernia. Naing said, “I would like to receive treatment for my hernia. If I’m cured, I can work again as a baker and our [household] income will increase. Now, only my wife works and we all depend on her.”

Shupe is a 39-year-old mother of two girls, ages 16 and 17. She is very proud of her children who have both been successful in school. She separated from her husband four years ago and has a small business selling tomatoes and vegetables house-to-house. Last year, Shupe began experiencing pain in her abdomen. She shared that she has been unable to work due to the pain and had difficulty paying her rent. Now, she is staying with her sister while both of her daughters stay at a friend’s house to attend their secondary schools until they pass their exams. Shupe recently visited a surgeon who confirmed that she has an inguinal hernia and requires hernia repair surgery. If not treated, the hernia will continue to cause her pain, and in rare cases, it could lead to strangulation, cutting off the blood flow to part of her intestines. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), is helping Shupe to receive treatment. On June 3rd, she will undergo hernia repair surgery at AMH's care center. Now, AMH is requesting $575 to cover the cost of Shupe's procedure. Shupe shared, “I need to be alive to see my children go to college. This hernia and the pain are shattering my hopes, but with this surgery, I can see freedom coming. Much appreciation to Watsi for the support and funding."

Degenet is an eight-month-old baby boy from Ethiopia and the third child born to his parents. He is curious and loves juice, eggs, and playing with his mom. His father is a day worker and a student, while his mom is a homemaker. Degenet was born with an anorectal malformation, a congenital abnormality that leads to a complete or partial intestinal blockage. He needs to undergo a series of procedures to eliminate bowel dysfunction. Degenet is scheduled to undergo surgery to correct his condition on May 4th. After his recovery, he will no longer experience bowel dysfunction or be at risk of developing health complications in the future. Now, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1,500 to cover the total cost of Degenet's procedure and care. Degenet's mother shared, “I hope our baby gets as normal as other boys. I hope he will be educated and do good work in the future. And it is my hope he will serve God becoming a good Christian.”

Lucas is a playful four-month-old baby boy and the youngest child in a family of five children from his mother. His parents are small scale farmers of maize and vegetables for their food and they also keep livestock for a living, which allows them to get milk. Given the remoteness of their village, they shared that life is very difficult; meeting basic needs and access to health services are big challenges. Lucas 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, Lucas traveled to visit our medical partner's care center, where surgeons will perform clubfoot repair surgery on April 2nd. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $935 to fund Lucas's clubfoot repair. After treatment, he will be able to walk easily and wear shoes when he grows up. Lucas’s father shared, "we have no means of raising money to afford our son’s treatment cost. We will be very grateful if you can help correct his feet."

Antony is a 36-year-old motorbike taxi operator. He is married and has three children. Antony is the sole breadwinner of the family. In his line of work, his income depends on the availability of customers and is somewhat inconsistent. He lives with his family in a two-roomed rental house. On February 9th, Antony was riding a friend to a funeral on a motorbike, when he got into an accident along the Nairobi-Nakuru highway. His bike lost control when he tried to avoid an oncoming vehicle that was speeding on the wrong side of the road. Antony hit a ditch on the side of the road and sustained multiple injuries. He is in pain and is not able to use his left hand. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner can help. On March 5th, Antony will undergo a fracture repair procedure, called an open reduction and internal fixation. This procedure will help him heal well and he will be able to use his arm normally again. Now, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1,500 to fund this procedure. Anthony shared, “I am the sole breadwinner and my family is looking upon me for survival. I cannot work without the use of my hand, and my hand needs surgery to heal. I am unable to get the money to raise the amount needed for my care."

Saw Ki is a 10-year-old boy living with his parents, sister and a brother in Mae Ra Ma Luang Refugee Camp in Thailand. Saw Ki is in grade two and his siblings also attend school in the camp. At school, Saw Ki’s favorite subject is Koraen literature. In the future, he would like to become an agricultural day laborer and work hard like his father. On the morning of January 30, 2021, Saw Ki was playing with his friends when he slipped on some rocks and fell onto his left arm. Right away, his left arm became extremely painful and his left arm looked deformed. Saw Ki was brought to the refugee camp’s hospital run by Malteser International (MI) Thailand. After a medic completed a physical examination, the medic told him that they thought his left forearm was broken. Saw Ki was referred to Mae Sariang Hospital to receive an x-ray. There, the doctor confirmed that his left forearm was broken and referred him to Chiang Mai Hospital for surgery right away. Currently, Saw Ki cannot move his left hand and he is in a lot of pain. He has been receiving pain medication while waiting for surgery. This surgery is costly for Saw Ki and his family. Saw Ki's father used to work as an agricultural day laborer in nearby villages, but he can no longer work since the refugee camp went into lockdown following the outbreak of Covid-19. His mother is a homemaker. Although their household receives a cash card with 2,200 baht (approx. 74 USD) every month to purchase rations, this amount is not enough. Their family struggles to make ends meet without Saw Ki’s father’s income, and they appeal for financial support. With the help of our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, Saw Ki will undergo surgery to reset his fractured bones and ensure proper healing. The procedure is scheduled for February 2nd and will cost $1,500. After surgery, Saw Ki will no longer be in pain and he will be able to return home, play with his friends and also continue his studies. Saw Ki shared, "I want to play a lot of games with both of my hands, like before. I am not scared of receiving surgery."