Sopheak is an 8-year-old third grader who lives in Prey Veng province with his parents, who earn a small income selling fish in the local market. He has two older sisters, the oldest of whom recently moved out and started working as a tailor. Sopheak loves studying history, and he wants to be a teacher when he grows up. His other favorite things are playing basketball with his friends and drinking bubble tea. Four years ago, Sopheak began experiencing a sore throat and difficulty swallowing. This causes him to frequently miss school and interferes with his sleep. Sopheak was recently diagnosed with enlarged tonsils and adenoids. If not treated, his symptoms will persist and possibly intensify over time. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $265 to fund a tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy for Sopheak, which is scheduled to take place on September 6. Surgeons will remove his tonsils and adenoids, hopefully relieving Sopheak of his symptoms and helping him live much more comfortably. His mother shared that she just wants her son to feel good again, and to be able to attend school regularly.

Annizabelle is an 11-year-old fifth-grader who lives with her parents and three siblings in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Her father is a mechanic, and her mother is a vendor. Anizabelle has a cardiac condition called rheumatic mitral regurgitation. One of the valves in her heart is severely damaged due to an infection she suffered earlier in her childhood. As a result, her heart is unable to adequately pump blood through her body, leaving her weak and short of breath. Fortunately, our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance (HCA), is helping Annizabelle receive treatment. Annizabelle and her family will fly to the Dominican Republic, where she will undergo cardiac surgery at Hospital CEDIMAT on August 8th. During the surgery, doctors will attempt to repair her existing valve. If they cannot repair the valve, they will remove it, and implant an artificial replacement. HCA is contributing $9,000 to pay for the surgery. Now Annizabelle and her family need help to cover the $1,500 for the pre-surgical prep, lab tests, medicines and post operative follow up visits. In addition, this sum will pay for the passports for the social workers who will accompany the family overseas. Annizabelle's mother said: "Our family is praying that this surgery will be a success so that our daughter can get back to focusing on school and the rest of her life."

Srey Nich is a 19-year-old student who lives in Phnom Penh with her older brother, who helps support the family by working as an administrative assistant. Her parents are both rice farmers and live in their rural hometown 2 hours away. Srey Nich has just graduated high school, and is preparing to start university. In her free time, she likes checking her social media and going to the library. In 2020, Srey Nich was in a motorbike accident that caused a fracture in her left femur (thigh bone). She went to a local clinic and doctors implanted hardware to heal her fracture. Now, the fracture has healed and the hardware is causing pain and difficulty walking. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner Children's Surgical Centre (CSC) can help. On August 16th, Srey Nich will undergo a hardware removal procedure, which will help her walk easily again. She is able to contribute to the cost of the surgery and needs help raising $304 to fully fund the procedure. Srey Nich is hoping to start school without pain in the future.

James is a 13-year-old boy from Muranga County, Kenya. He is the second born in a family of three. James is in fifth grade, and he likes playing football and spending time with his friends. He aspires to become a pilot in the future. We met James at our main hospital, Kijabe, accompanied by a member of his church, Maina, who said “I know James as a hardworking and passionate boy in the church. I spotted him there doing presentations and performances and noticed that he had sustained a burn contracture on his neck which created a lot of discomfort because of the stiffness." James sustained burns when he was a child, which has caused him a lot of discomfort and prevents him from living a fully comfortable life. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is helping James receive treatment. On February 13th, surgeons at their care center will perform a single contracture release surgery on James; he will be able to move his neck more and be free from the stiffness. He will have a chance at a comfortable life. Now, he needs help to fund this $840 procedure. “Because of the challenges the family has, we are appealing for support to help this boy undergo surgery so he can be set free from neck stiffness and continue with his normal life,” Maina told us.

Nu is a 57-year-old woman from Thailand. She lives with her husband and two sons in a refugee camp. Her sons go to school. She and her husband raise chickens and grow vegetables both for their own consumption and for sale. She has cataracts and her vision is blurry. She is often worried that she might slip and fall due to her poor vision, and she has to walk slowly and carefully. Sometimes, she will have a headache and a stiff neck. Since her vision has become blurry, she can no longer read, which she shared she especially likes to do to read the Bible or the lyrics for new hymns. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to fund lens replacement surgery for Nu. On September 15th, doctors will perform a lens replacement, during which they will remove Nu's natural lenses and replace them with an intraocular lens implant in each eye. After recovery, she will be able to see clearly. Now, she needs help to fund this $1,500 procedure. “When I go to church, I feel sad because I cannot participate, like reading passages from the Bible," she shared.

Meet Agnes, a hardworking 39-year-old farmer and strong single mother. Two of her children live with her brother in a rural area of the country, while her other children live with Agnes in a house in a small shopping center. Agnes works hard to sustain her family. She does laundry in her neighborhood during the day, while selling vegetables in the evening. During the planting, weeding and harvesting seasons, Agnes goes to the village and works on people's farms. Sometimes she is paid with money, and sometimes she is given food in return for her work. Nine months ago, she was pricked by a maize stalk on her lower left limb. She was walking with difficulty because of the pain that resulted from the wound, and she ended up falling. Agnes traveled to a local facility because of pain and swelling in her leg, and was provided with pain medication and bandages. However, Agnes was referred on to another hospital, where her leg could be X-rayed. The X-ray revealed that Agnes had sustained a fracture in her lower leg. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, can help. On September 1st, Agnes will undergo a fracture repair procedure, called an open reduction and internal fixation, at AIC Kapsowar Hospital. After this procedure, Agnes will be able to walk without pain and swelling, enabling her to return to her daily activities, and the work that she needs to do in order to earn an income. African Mission Healthcare Foundation is seeking $941 to fund her procedure and medical care. Agnes says: "My family depends on me in everything. With my condition, I cannot work and am afraid that my children will suffer. Kindly help me get through my treatment and be able to provide for them.”

Kheoun is a loving grandfather. He is 62 years old and farms rice and vegetables in Kandal province. He lives with his wife who manages the farm with him. Together, they have one son, four daughters, and 15 grandchildren. At home, he likes to watch the news on TV and listen to monks pray on the radio. Five years ago, Kheoun developed a pterygium in his right eye, causing him itchiness, tearing, and blurry vision. Pterygiums are non-cancerous growths of the conjunctiva, a mucous layer that lubricates the eye. The growths occur when the conjunctiva is exposed to excessive sun damage and the cells grow abnormally over the pupil. He has difficulty seeing things clearly, recognizing faces, working, and going anywhere outside. Kheoun needs a surgical procedure to remove the abnormal conjunctiva from the cornea surface and replace it with a conjunctival graft to prevent recurrence. The total cost of his procedure is $225. This covers medications, supplies, and inpatient care for two days. The procedure is scheduled for September 13th. Kheoun says, "I hope after surgery I can see better to plant rice and vegetables. I want to be able to work outside to support my family."

Sarai is a sweet and friendly three-year-old girl from Bolivia who has Down syndrome. She lives in a small indigenous community in the mountains of central Bolivia with her parents, who are both farmers, and her five siblings. She is a friendly little girl who loves making new friends and blowing kisses to everyone she meets! Sarai was born with an atrial septal defect, a cardiac condition in which a hole exists between the two upper chambers of the heart. Blood leaks through this hole instead of flowing properly through her body, leaving her feeling weak and short of breath. Fortunately, Sarai is scheduled to undergo heart surgery on July 28th with the support of our long-standing medical partner Haiti Cardiac Alliance, which is now growing and expanding into Bolivia. Surgeons will close the hole with a patch, allowing blood to properly flow through her body and improving her quality of life. Another organization, Gift of Life International, is contributing $2,500 to pay for a portion of Sarai's procedure costs. Our medical partner is requesting $1,500 to cover the remaining costs, which cover surgical expenses, cardiac exams, medications, and travel fees so Sarai and her family can travel to receive her life-changing cardiac procedure in La Paz. Sarai's mother shares, "Our family is all praying that our daughter will become healthy and strong after this surgery!"

Christina is a 12-year-old student and the fifth born in a family of nine children. She is currently in grade four and her best subjects in school are mathematics and science. Christina has been diagnosed with left genu valgus, meaning that her left knee is bent inward so that her 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, walking is difficult and painful, and it has been more challenging for Christina to attend school. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), is helping Christina to receive treatment. On December 10th, she will undergo corrective surgery at AMH's care center. Treatment will hopefully restore Christina's mobility, allowing her to participate in a variety of activities and greatly decreasing her risk of future complications. Now, AMH is requesting $880 to Christina's procedure and care. Christina shared, "walking to school is really tiring and painful. I can’t walk as fast as my school mates."

Pheak is a 33-year-old construction worker. He is married and has two daughters who are in elementary school. His wife stays at home to take care of them. When Pheak is not working he enjoys watching boxing matches, listening to the news, and telling stories to his daughters. Five years ago, the retina of Pheak's right eye detached, causing him blurred vision and irritation. He has had limited work opportunities due to this condition as well. When Pheak learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, he traveled for three hours seeking treatment. On November 9th, eye surgeons will perform a retinal detachment repair procedure in his right eye. After recovery, he will be able to see clearly. Now, he needs help to fund this $648 procedure. Pheak said, "I am hopeful that when my vision is better I can work more and support my family well."

Grace is a small scale farmer and a mother of four children. Her husband died 18 years ago and left her a small house that later fell down beyond repair but she has recently managed to put up a small mud-made single room for shelter. All her children were not able to attend school. Her eldest is now 35 years old and is married while the youngest is 18 years old. She relies on the sale of her farm produce to cater to her basic needs. Four years ago, Grace began to experience troubling symptoms, including a small painless swelling which recently started increasing in size. She has never visited any health facility to seek treatment. Currently, she experiences airway obstruction and severe headaches whenever she carries a heavy load and this has greatly affected her farming. She occasionally develops high temperatures, especially around her chest and neck. She was diagnosed with a goiter and after a review by the surgeon, a thyroidectomy was recommended. She needs surgery to prevent her symptoms from getting worse. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is helping Grace receive treatment. She is scheduled to undergo a thyroidectomy on November 2nd at our medical partner's care center. Surgeons will remove all or part of her thyroid gland. This procedure will cost $333, and she and her family need help raising money. Grace says, “I pray that I may look normal again through surgery. I hope to live a comfortable life because the swelling makes me feel abnormal. I will continue with farming once I recover after the surgery.”

Neang is a 38-year-old tuk-tuk driver. Neang comes from Kompong Speu Province in Cambodia. Since his father passed away ten years ago, Neang has decided to stay with his mother to take care of her. He also has five siblings that live in his area, and many nieces and nephews. When he is not working, he enjoys playing sports, cooking for his mother, and visiting his siblings. In 2008, Neang was involved in a motor vehicle accident that caused a fracture of his right femur. He visited a government hospital after the accident, where doctors fixated hardware to heal the fracture. The hardware has recently become infected and exposed. It has become difficult for Neang to walk, and he is experiencing chronic pain and discomfort. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, can help. On November 9th, Neang will undergo a hardware removal procedure, which will cost $230. This procedure will allow his leg to heal and help him walk easily again. Neang said, "I hope my leg can heal quickly, so that I can work again and make sure my mother is cared for."