Wubalem is a 10-month-old baby from Ethiopia. He has one older sister and two brothers. His father works as a daily laborer in construction, while his mother is a homemaker who takes care of the family. Wubalem was born with hydronephrosis, a condition in which urine does not drain properly from the kidney, causing the kidney to become swollen. He requires medical attention and a surgical procedure called pyeloplasty to correct the blockage and improve the flow of urine. This issue was first identified when Wubalem’s mother experienced health complications during her pregnancy. After Wubalem was born, he was referred to a higher-level hospital for further examination and treatment. The medical team monitored his condition for about five months. After several examinations, they confirmed that Baby Wubalem needed surgery and placed him on a waiting list. Those five months were difficult for his mother. She remembers feeling anxious and frustrated as she waited for her baby to receive the treatment he needed. After waiting for five months, Wubalem was referred to our medical partner's care center, BethanyKids Myungsung Christian Medical Centre (BKMCM). Wubalem is scheduled to receive a pyloplasty to help his kidney on August 24th. The procedure costs $922. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is asking for help to fund the cost of the procedure. Wubalem's mother shares, “I am very happy to come to BethanyKids, and I am so grateful for the warm welcome. Thank you so much to everyone. I pray that my baby will be healthy and able to walk and live like other children. I have been through a very difficult time and sacrificed many things for my baby. I waited for many months and spent a lot of money trying to get the care my child needed. I am very thankful that my baby is finally receiving treatment.”

Gilbert is 65 years old and a retired secondary school teacher from Malawi. He is married and a father of five children. His wife is a farmer. Six years ago, Gilbert began to experience troubling symptoms, including a small swelling on his neck. He visited the hospital, where he was diagnosed with recurrent follicular neoplasia of the thyroid. His medical history shows that he previously had a goiter in 1978, which was surgically removed, and he remained well afterwards. In 2023, Gilbert's condition worsened. After several tests, he was then started on chemotherapy for follicular thyroid disease and completed six cycles. He was referred to our medical partner's care center, Partners in Hope Medical Center, for surgery and specialized care. He was diagnosed with a goiter, which is an abnormal swelling of the thyroid gland. 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. He needs surgery to prevent his symptoms from getting worse. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Gilbert receive treatment. He is scheduled to undergo a thyroidectomy on February 7th. Surgeons will remove all or part of his thyroid gland. This procedure will cost $1,015, and he and his family need help raising money. Gilbert shared, "My condition has brought in more pain to my retirement life, ending up draining all my resources on hospital support; kindly help me to get better and get away with the stigma around me, said Gilbert during assessment."

Seven-year-old Bontu lives with her parents in Ethiopia. As an only child, she is the light of her parent's life, and they would do anything for her. About two years ago, Bontu began experiencing fevers, pain, difficulty in swallowing and snoring. Since then, she is often unwell, and her mother constantly needs to stay with her, forgoing the chance to work and to earn money. Bontu's father works long hours as a manual laborer, trying to earn enough to sustain his family. Bontu has been diagnosed with enlarged tonsils, and she needs surgery to treat her condition. Our medical partner, Saglan Wajee General Hospital, is requesting $700 to fund a tonsillectomy for Bontu, which is scheduled to take place on February 11th. Surgeons will remove her tonsils, hopefully relieving Bontu of her symptoms, and helping her to live more comfortably. "We are so excited for this opportunity that will have our daughter attend school every single day, and play happily with her friends. Our hearts long to see her run and laugh without that constant, heavy exhaustion that has kept her so lonely and isolated for so long," said Bontu's parents.

Brian is a 17-year-old boy from Kenya. His father is a primary school teacher. Brian is due to start school and is worried about missing lessons and falling behind in the syllabus. Education is very important to him, and he hopes to resume his studies as soon as possible. Three weeks ago, Brian experienced a convulsion and fell into a fire. As a result, he sustained severe burns to his leg. He was eventually brought to the hospital, where the surgical team assessed him. The surgeon managed his injuries through multiple dressing changes, surgical debridement, and, due to the severity of the burns, amputation of one toe. Brian was later placed on a wound vacuum (VAC) to support healing. At present, his condition is stable, and he is doing relatively well. However, he still requires a skin graft to achieve proper wound coverage and complete healing. On January 6th, Brian is scheduled to undergo a skin graft procedure, and our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1,183 to fund his procedure and care. Brian says, "I hope that after the skin graft, my hospital stay will be reduced. I should be in form four, and I don't want to fall behind, especially with the syllabus. My goal is to take after my father, be a teacher, and aim higher to head a teachers' organization in the future. Please help me. "

Charles is a 36-year-old father of four from Kenya. Before his illness, Charles operated a small shop selling sausages. Since his injury, he has been unable to run the business effectively, and his wife has taken over the running of the shop to support the family. The income from the business barely meets their basic needs, making it difficult to raise funds for the required surgery. Charles was at his shop in July 2025 when demonstrations broke out, and a crowd raided the building where his shop was located. In an attempt to escape, he was forced to jump from the first floor, landing badly, and severely injuring his right leg. He was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he underwent a fracture repair surgery. Unfortunately, the wound failed to heal properly. When Charles went to AIC Kijabe Hospital in September 2025, an examination revealed that the wound was severely infected. The metal nail that had been inserted during the initial surgery had to be removed to allow the infection to clear. Since then, Charles has been attending regular follow-up visits for wound cleaning and dressing. During a clinic visit in February 2026, he was finally cleared to undergo another ORIF surgery to stabilize his leg and allow proper healing. Unfortunately, his insurance coverage had already been exhausted and could not cover the required procedure. Charles continues to live in pain. He moves with the help of crutches, and at times the pain becomes unbearable, forcing him to rely on pain medication for relief. He is now reaching out for support so he can undergo surgery and finally heal. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner can help. On March 5th, Charles will undergo a fracture repair procedure, called an open reduction and internal fixation. This procedure will help him walk easily again and go back to being a provider for his family Now, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1,500 to fund this procedure. Charles says, “Sometimes my leg swells so much, that it becomes difficult to move, even with crutches.”

11-year-old Allan lives in Kenya with his mother and older brother. His mother, who is a single parent, works as a tailor to support her family. Two years ago, Allan was playing with friends at school, when he tripped. By the next day, his leg was swollen and painful, and he was unable to walk. His mother quickly took him to the nearest dispensary, where he received an injection, but the pain didn't go away. The swelling continued to get worse. Allan was then taken to a district hospital, where an X-ray showed damage to the soft tissue in his leg. He was given medication, but the swelling and pain got even worse, and he began having trouble breathing. Allan was then admitted in another hospital for a week, where he was put on oxygen. He still couldn’t walk, and further scans revealed that he had broken bones. Allan was referred to our medical partner's care center, AIC Kijabe Hospital, where he had a fracture repair surgery in April 2023, to repair the damage. This was followed by another surgery in February 2024 to remove the plates from the first surgery, and to replace them with new ones that would better hold his bones together. Allan was to undergo a bone transport surgery towards the end of 2024, but his wound was severely infected, so he had to undergo several procedures in 2025 to clean and close up his wound, before he could proceed with the bone transport. His wound has been healing well, and he is now set to undergo bone transport surgery. Unfortunately, Allan's national health insurance is now depleted, due to the multiple surgeries. The income that Allan's mother earns barely covers the basic needs for her elder son, who is in high school, and Allan, who has required frequent medical care after his injury. She has been relying on the kindness of others to help with hospital bills, but has not been able to raise enough money for Allan’s upcoming surgery. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is seeking $1,500 to cover the cost of Allan's surgery, which is scheduled to take place on February 4th, at AIC Kijabe Hospital. Allan is looking forward to a time when he will be fully recovered, and can return to school. He said: “My friends go to school, but I stay at home because of my leg injury. I am supposed to be in Grade 7, but for now, I stay at home.”

Adonias is an adorable three-year-old toddler from Ethiopia, the second born child in his family. He loves playing with other children and has a particular fondness for football. His mother makes injera (an Ethiopian delicacy) for sale, while his father works as a casual laborer. Despite their efforts, their income is insufficient to meet the family’s daily needs. Adonias was born with hypospadias, a condition that causes urinary dysfunction. When his mother discovered his condition, she did not take him to the hospital because she believed her struggles during pregnancy, caused by war, financial instability, and her separation from Adonias’s father, contributed to his condition. Out of fear and shame, she kept his condition a secret. She cried day and night and isolated him from the community to prevent others from noticing it. One day, a neighbor noticed Adonias passing urine and inquired about his condition, but his mother was at a loss for words. Soon after, someone approached her and shared information about our medical partner's care center, BethanyKids Myungsung Christian Medical Center (BKMCM), saying that she and her son could receive support from there. Overwhelmed with emotion, she felt a wave of gratitude, believing that God was finally helping her. She reached out to BKMCM who facilitated her transportation and accommodation during her three-day journey to the hospital. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Adonias receive treatment. On May 15th, he will undergo a surgical procedure to correct the procedure and reduce the risk of further medical complications, including the risk of infertility. Now, Adonias's family needs help to fund this $1,293 procedure. Adonias's mother said, “When the doctor told me that the case is treatable with surgery, I was happy and relieved. I was very afraid, thinking he had two two reproductive organs. I did not want others to learn about it. I am sure I will rejoice after the surgery. I wish to thank everyone that is supporting my son's care."

Jane is 57 years old and a farmer from Malawi. She is a widow who lives with her son, a journalist, and a grandchild from her son who had passed away. Jane is a retired teacher who now farms to support her family. She likes chatting with her son and grandchild and enjoys eating rice with vegetables prepared with groundnut flour. In 2019, Jane noticed a small lump on her right breast. She went to a hospital where she was prescribed painkillers. As the lump did not resolve on its own, she went back and was told she needed a biopsy. However, Jane could not afford it. The lump grew bigger, causing discomfort and pain. A few months ago, Jane started experiencing itchiness and pain around the affected breast, interfering with her daily activities. Jane was diagnosed with breast cancer and underwent several cycles of chemotherapy. She was referred to our medical partner's care center, Partners in Hope Medical Center, where she was told she needed a mastectomy, a surgery to remove the breast tissue to prevent the cancer from spreading from other parts of her body. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1,194 to cover the cost of a mastectomy for Jane. The procedure is scheduled to take place on March 18th and will hopefully, remove the cancer from her body. Jane says, "I wish to get better for me to fully resume my farm work in order to boost my income for upkeep and to continue supporting my child and grandchild as I am the only parent left."

Nae is a 38-year-old woman who lives with her family in a refugee camp in Mae Hong Son Province, Thailand. They receive support from development agencies for food and household expenses. They also have access to basic healthcare and education in the camp. In her free time, Nae loves to embroider traditional clothes for extra income. Since June 2024, Nae has been experiencing pain in her lower abdomen. She cannot sit for long periods and feels tired easily. She diagnosed her with a leiomyoma or a benign tumor in the cervix. She needs to undergo a hysterectomy, a procedure in which surgeons will remove her uterus. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to fund Nae's surgery. On March 5th, she will undergo gynecological surgery that will help address her symptoms and allow her to resume her daily activities free of pain. Nae said, "I would like to have the surgery to finally be healthy again. The monthly follow-ups and not feeling better make it difficult for me to manage my daily life."