Sothea is a 55-year-old food vendor. She is a loving mother to two sons, one daughter, and six grandchildren. Sothea’s husband passed away many years ago, and now she lives with her youngest daughter who works in a garment factory. When she’s not helping her daughter with the house, Sothea likes to listen to the monks pray on the radio. Three years ago, Sothea developed a cataract in her right eye, causing her tearing, photophobia and blurry vision. She has difficulty seeing things clearly, including colors and faces, and is worried about falling when walking, so is not able to go places on her own. When Sothea learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled there hoping for treatment. On October 13th, doctors will perform a small incision cataract surgery, and an intraocular lens implant in her right eye. After recovery, she will be able to see clearly. Now, she needs your help to fund this $253 procedure. She said, "After surgery, I hope my vision can improve so I can go outside again without trouble, take care of myself and help my daughter with my grandchildren."

Chanthy is a 34-year-old farmer, who works alongside her husband in the rice fields. She is married and has one daughter. After a long day outside, she likes to cook for her family and watch Khmer movies on TV. For the past several years, Chanthy has had facial pain and headaches. She suffers from frequent fevers, has difficulty sleeping or breathing out of her nose, and often feels poorly. Surgeons have determined Chanthy has a nasal cyst that obstructs her breathing and is frequently infected. Chanthy traveled to our medical partner's care center to receive treatment. On September 6th, surgeons at our medical partner's care center will remove the mass. Now, Children's Surgical Center, is helping Chanthy raise $273 to fund this procedure. Chanthy shared, "I hope my infection will go away, and I will be able to breathe and take good care of my family again."

Daw San is 64-year-old woman who lives with her daughter-in-law in a border town in Thailand. Originally from Burma, she moved to Thailand to live with her son and daughter-in-law after her daughter unfortunately passed away. Daw San is now retired and helps her family with cooking. At the end of 2020, Daw San began experiencing lower back pain and a fever. After receiving an ultrasound at a medical clinic, she was diagnosed with stones in her right kidney. The medic provided her with oral medication and follow-up appointments. At these appointments, she would receive an ultrasound and a refill of her medication. After feeling her symptoms improve, she did not return to the clinic. However, Daw San began experiencing strong pain in her lower abdomen and back this past June. She also began to experience dizziness, difficulty sleeping, a lack in appetite, and pain when using the restroom. After undergoing an ultrasound and X-ray, it was determined that Daw San has very large stones in her right kidney, which need to be broken up through laser treatment. Fortunately, our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is helping Daw San receive treatment. On August 3rd, surgeons will perform shockwave lithotripsy to break down and treat the kidney stones. Now, she needs help funding this $1,500 procedure. Daw San shares, “I am very happy to learn that an organization will help pay for the cost of my surgery. I am very thankful to the donors and the organization. When I recover fully, I will go back to my village in Bago Division to live with my aunt.”

Sharon is a 23-year-old small-scale farmer from Kenya. She is married with two children, aged four years and one year old. Sharon and her husband grow and sell vegetables and take on casual labor jobs to help supplement their income. They have a three-room house for their family. A week ago, Sharon was grazing her sheep when she tripped on a root. She was located on a hill and fell from a high distance causing her to fracture her right leg. Unable to walk or stand, some neighbors heard her call for help and rushed her to the hospital. Sharon was experiencing severe pain, swelling, and skin traction on her right lower leg. She underwent an x-ray, which showed that she had a fracture on her right femur. She also underwent skeletal traction to realign the bone and keep it in place until she could undergo surgery. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), can help. On November 29th, Sharon will undergo a fracture repair procedure, called an open reduction and internal fixation, to mend her right femur and allow her to move again. AMH is requesting $1145 to fund this procedure. Sharon says: “It’s so unfortunate that I broke my leg at a time when my children needed me the most. I am now forced to stop breastfeeding my son, who is still young, but I am grateful as I am still alive. I need your help, and I believe that someday things will get back to normal, and I will be able to be there for my family.”

Misgana is a 15-month-old girl from Ethiopia. She is a happy and friendly baby. She has one older sister she loves to play with, and she also loves playing with her dolls. Her mom makes injera (a traditional Ethiopian food) for a living. She brings her two daughters along with her to work because she has no one to look after them while she is away. Misgana's dad is a farmer and they live in a rented house. Misgana was born with an anorectal malformation, a congenital abnormality that leads to a complete or partial intestinal blockage. She needs to undergo a series of procedures to eliminate bowel dysfunction. Misgana underwent emergency colostomy surgery at BethanyKids Myungsung Christian Medical Centre (BKMCM) and now needs to have her next stage of treatment to fully heal. Her mom shared how difficult this has been on their family psychologically and that they cannot afford Misgana's medical bill. Fortunately, Misgana is now scheduled to undergo surgery to correct her condition on July 7th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1,500 to cover the total cost of Misgana's procedure and care. After her recovery, Misgana will no longer experience bowel dysfunction or be at risk of developing related health complications in the future. Her mom says “I hope my child will heal and grow. I want her to learn about God. And I wish she will get a good education and become a teacher.”

Rosette is a 47-year-old woman who has two grown children: a married daughter and a son who works as a casual laborer. Rosette and her husband practice small scale-farming, which Rosette uses to supplement her income from a small food vending business. Rosette has been experiencing troubling symptoms, including pain and swelling on her neck, for some time now. As a result, Rosette cannot carry anything on her head, which negatively affects her business. Upon review, doctors diagnosed her condition as a nodular goiter and determined that she needs to undergo surgery to prevent her symptoms from getting worse. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), is helping Rosette receive treatment. On May 17th, she will undergo a thyroidectomy. During this procedure, surgeons will remove all or part of her thyroid gland. AMH is requesting $252 to help fund Rosette's surgery. Rosette says, “I had given up on my care because I need more money than I can afford. I beg for your support and will be very glad when I get surgery to enable me to do well in my activities.”

Dennis is a handsome young man aged 28 years old from a village in Kenya. He is married and has two children, ages 8 and 1. Dennis is the bread winner of his young family. He operates a small business selling chicken meat. He is very social and friendly. Recently, as he was going home, he was hit by a hit-and-run motorbike which had lost control. He was injured on the right leg and was taken to the hospital. Now he is not able to walk on his own and is in a lot of pain. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner can help. On October 4th, Dennis will undergo a fracture repair procedure, called an open reduction and internal fixation. After he heals, he will be able to walk again on his own. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1049 to fund this procedure so he can get back to his life and supporting his family. “I am very disappointed because I have a very young family and they all depend on me. I hope I can get help and fast treatment so that soon I can be on my foot again, to restart my small business and earn for my family,” said Dennis.

Phin is a 53-year-old woman. She and her husband work as rice farmers, and they have one daughter, three sons, and three grandchildren. In her free time, Phin likes to visit her relatives in the village and listen to music on the radio. Three years ago, Phin developed a pterygium in her right eye, causing her burning, tearing, and poor vision. As a result, Phin has difficulty seeing things clearly, recognizing faces, working, and going outside. When Phin learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), she traveled across the country for eight and a half hours seeking treatment. On May 2nd, Phin will undergo a procedure to heal her condition and prevent a recurrence. CSC is requesting $225 to fund her surgery, which includes medications, supplies, and inpatient care for two days. Phin shared, "After surgery, I hope my eyes stop burning and I feel comfortable. I want to return to the rice field to help my husband."

Jane is a happy, talkative farmer and mother of ten. Jane leases out some of her lands to help provide for her children’s education since her health condition has made it too difficult for her to farm. Jane's family has recently had very hard times and she is hopeful that better days are ahead. A few months ago, Jane began to experience troubling symptoms, including difficulty breathing. She visited the hospital, where she was diagnosed with a goiter, which is an abnormal enlargement of the thyroid gland. Jane will need to undergo surgery to prevent her symptoms from worsening. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), is helping Jane receive treatment. On April 12th, she will undergo a thyroidectomy, in which surgeons will remove all or part of her thyroid gland. AMH is requesting $936 to help fund this procedure. Jane shared, "The people I looked up to just perished. Kindly help me so that I may get back to work and be able to raise my other children.”

Meet Gemechu, an adorable and cheerful nine-year-old boy from Ethiopia. He lives with his parents and five siblings. His father is a farmer, and his mother is a homemaker. Gemechu loves imitating others and trying to do what he observes others doing. He also loves to play with toy cars and with his siblings. Gemechu was born with an anorectal malformation, a congenital condition that leads to a complete or partial intestinal blockage. He needs to undergo a series of procedures to eliminate bowel dysfunction. His parents share that at one point, Gemechu's condition left him unable to talk, as well as unable to move his head and body. Although he has received a colostomy insertion procedure, he still needs further treatment in order to fully heal his condition. Fortunately, Gemechu is scheduled to undergo surgery to help correct his condition on August 9th at BethanyKids Myungsung Christian Medical Centre. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,500 to cover the total cost of Gemechu's procedure and care. After his recovery, he will no longer experience bowel dysfunction or be at risk of developing health complications in the future. Gemechu's father shares, "Our hope grew a lot, even now. The colostomy changed his life. He is healthy, he eats well, and we hope for a lot more after this planned surgery, specifically for him to get better and to live a normal life. We hope his life will change after this surgery."

Evangeline is a hardworking 46-year-old from the Philippines. She runs a small business there, and her husband works as a tricycle driver. In 2021, Evangeline started experiencing mild abdominal and lower back pains. She opted to try alternatives such as herbal medicines and back massages for relief, but these did not stop her condition from worsening. In August 2021, she was brought to a nearby hospital due to severe abdominal pain, heartburn, and difficulty breathing. An ultrasound showed that she has gallstones that need to be removed surgically. Evangeline was grateful and overjoyed when a friend from a Rural Health Unit referred her to our medical partner World Surgical Foundation Philippines (WSFP) for medical assistance. She is now scheduled to undergo surgery to correct her condition on June 29th. Our medical partner, WSFP, is requesting $826 to cover her procedure and care costs. "This surgery will be of great help to me and my family as it will ease our fear that one day my gallbladder will rupture and put my life in danger," Evangeline said tearfully. "To Watsi and World Surgical Foundation Philippines, thank you for this opportunity. We know you've helped a lot of people and changed their lives. I'm so grateful that I am one of them."