Jackson is a child from Kenya. Jackson 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. Jackson is scheduled to undergo surgery to correct his condition on February 15. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,327 to cover the total cost of Jackson's procedure and care. After his recovery, Jackson will no longer experience bowel dysfunction or be at risk of developing health complications in the future. “Please help us and we will appreciate,” says Jackson’s father.

Masudi is a baby from Tanzania. He is the youngest in a family of five children. Masudi has clubfoot of his right foot. Clubfoot is a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape. This causes difficulty walking and even wearing shoes. Fortunately, Masudi traveled to visit our medical partner's care center, AIC Cure International Hospital. There, surgeons will perform clubfoot repair surgery on September 10. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $890 to fund Masudi's clubfoot repair. After treatment, he will be able to walk easily and without pain.. His mother says, “Thank very much for selecting my child for treatment.”

Noktheu is a vendor from Cambodia. He is married. He likes to watch TV and listen to classical music. Three years ago, he developed pain on his left hip. He was diagnosed with avascular necrosis, which is death of bone tissue due to lack of blood supply. Fortunately, Noktheu learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre. At CSC, surgeons can perform a total hip replacement to relieve Noktheu of his pain and allow him to walk easily. Treatment is scheduled for August 13, and Noktheu needs help raising $1,025 to pay for this procedure. He says, "I hope after the surgery I will be able to walk again."

Blessing is an infant from Kenya. She is the last born in a family of six children. Both of her parents are laborers. Blessing was born with spina bifida, a type of neural tube defect in which the spine does not properly close around the spinal cord. Without treatment, Blessing is at risk of lower-limb paralysis, infection of the exposed nervous tissue, development of tethered cord syndrome, and possible developmental delays. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,097 to cover the cost of Blessing's spina bifida closure surgery. The procedure is scheduled to take place on July 11. This procedure will hopefully spare Blessing from the risks associated with her condition, instead allowing her to grow and develop along a healthy trajectory. Blessing’s mother says, “My wish is to have my child receive quality healthcare as early as possible. I am hopeful she will be well."

Ritha is a baby from Tanzania. She is the youngest in a family of five children. Ritha’s parents work as casual laborers. Ritha has clubfoot of her right foot. Clubfoot is a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape. This causes difficulty walking and even wearing shoes. Fortunately, Ritha traveled to visit our medical partner's care center, AIC Cure International Hospital. There, surgeons will perform clubfoot repair surgery on June 13. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $890 to fund Ritha's clubfoot repair. After treatment, Ritha to be able to walk, play, run, and go to school when she grows up. Ritha’s mother says, “I knew I had to find treatment for my daughter because I do not want her to grow up feeling ashamed or embarrassed of how she looks. I want to raise a confident and happy child, and I know this treatment will make Ritha be confident and happy as she grows up she will not be subjected to stigma or society’s judgment and stares.”

Evenlight is a young student from Tanzania. She is the first born in a family of four kids. Unfortunately, she lost her father when she was three years old. She is in her final year of primary school education. For six years, Evenlight has been experiencing regular infections, trouble breathing, and sleep apnea. Frequent illness causes her to miss school. Evenlight was recently diagnosed with enlarged tonsils, which, if not treated, will cause her symptoms to persist and possibly intensify over time. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $633 to fund a tonsillectomy for Evenlight, which is scheduled to take place on May 17. Surgeons will remove her tonsils, hopefully relieving Evenlight of her symptoms and helping her live more comfortably. Evenlight’s mother says, “I wouldn’t want my daughter’s condition to hinder her from her studies. I would love for her to be able to study without being sick and be able to pass and go to high school."

Vumilia is a 12-year-old girl from Tanzania. She loves school and especially enjoys studying Swahili. She is the youngest in a family of three children. Her mother is a subsistence farmer, and her father works for a mining company. Vumilia was born with a longitudinal deficiency of the tibia, so her right leg is bent below the knee and is shorter than the left leg. This makes walking difficult. Over time, she will develop back problems due to poor balance. Fortunately, Vumilia visited our medical partner's care center. There, she will undergo an amputation on April 13. This surgery and prosthesis will allow her to be able to walk without problems, and she will not be at risk of developing back problems. Her family needs help raising $1,035 to fund the procedure. Vumilia says, “I hope that this treatment will allow me to be able to walk without difficulty and be able to continue with school. Thank you so much for helping me.”

Simeon is a farmer from Kenya. He is a father of seven. About two week ago, Simeon was walking on a muddy path when he fell on a hard surface and sustained a fracture of his left hip joint. He has been in a lot of pain and has been using crutches to walk. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner can help. On March 14, Simeon will undergo a fracture repair procedure, called an open reduction and internal fixation. This procedure will help him walk easily again. Now, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $966 to fund this procedure. Simeon says, “My hope in life is to see that my children get a good education and to grow in Christ so that they will have a better future."

Thein is a 41-year-old Burmese man. He lives with his wife, and together they have two children. He has been unable to work for the past two years. His family is now entirely reliant on his sister and brother-in-law’s income. His sister works as a grocer, while her husband works as a motorcycle taxi driver. Thein was diagnosed with a heart condition that involves a malformation of the mitral valve, the valve between the left atrium and left ventricle. This valve controls the flow of blood, but certain conditions may cause blood to flow backward or the valve to narrow. Currently, Thein experiences severe fatigue and heart palpitations. He cannot walk long distances. He usually has difficulty sleeping at night, constantly worrying about how he cannot afford to pay for surgery. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to fund a mitral valve replacement for Thein. The treatment is scheduled to take place on February 21 and, once completed, will hopefully allow him to live more comfortably. “I have two children and a wife who I can’t support but I really want to,” explains Thein solemnly. “My sister only has a small shop but is trying to support everyone, so I feel very bad that I can’t help out.”

Stanley is a student from Haiti. He lives in the outskirts of Port-au-Prince with his mother, father, and brothers. He is in the third grade and likes listening to soccer games on the radio and playing with his friends. Stanley has a cardiac condition called severe valvar pulmonic stenosis. One of the four valves in his heart is too narrow, preventing enough blood from passing through it and leading to heart failure. Stanley will fly to Cayman Islands to receive treatment. On January 10, he will undergo cardiac surgery. During surgery, the team will insert a catheter with a balloon at the end into his heart, and inflate the balloon to stretch his valve open. Another organization, Have a Heart Cayman, is contributing $14,000 to pay for surgery. Stanley's family also needs help to fund the costs of surgery prep. The $1,500 bill covers labs, medicines, and checkup and followup appointments. It also supports passport obtainment and the social workers from our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance, who will accompany Stanley's family overseas. His mother says, "I am happy my son can have this surgery so that I don't have to be scared about his health."

Pawt Sue is a bright and active four-year-old boy from Burma. He lives in a village with his mother and seven-year-old brother and two-year-old sister. His father works in a restaurant in Thailand and sends money to the family every two or three months. Since he was a week old, Pawt Sue has had an inguinal hernia. Whenever he cries, his scrotum became swollen. As the time went by, his condition seemed to worsen. The more active he became, the more pain he experienced. Fortunately, on December 18, he will undergo hernia repair surgery at Mae Sot General Hospital, our medical partner's care center. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to fund Pawt Sue's hernia repair surgery. The procedure is scheduled to take place on December 18 and, once completed, will hopefully allow him to live more comfortably. His mother says, "My son says he wants to be a surgeon when he grows up. He wants to help other children who are in pain."

Ester is a six-month-old baby from Tanzania. She is quiet and gentle. Ester lives with her parents, who are small-scale pastoralists with 20 goats and five sheep. Ester has clubfoot of her right foot. Clubfoot is a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape. This causes difficulty walking and even wearing shoes. Fortunately, Ester traveled to visit our medical partner's care center, AIC Cure International Hospital. There, surgeons will perform clubfoot repair surgery on November 14. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $890 to fund Ester's clubfoot repair. After treatment, Ester will be able to walk without difficulty and attend school when she grows up. Ester’s mother says, “I am positive that Ester will be treated and will grow up well and attend school."