Kiliani is the last-born in a large family of seven children. He was born prematurely along with a twin brother, who sadly did not survive. Kiliani works hard and is now in class three in school. His best subject is mathematics. Currently, he walks to school every day on his crutches because he cannot use his right leg. Kilani was born with a condition impacting his leg and was further made challenging when he had a fracture when learning to crawl. When he was young, his parents tried to seek treatment for him but due to financial challenges, they were not able to continue with treatment. Unfortunately, Kiliani has lived with this condition until now, enduring a lot of pain. Their family depends on small-scale farming where they raise their food for daily use. They are working hard to make ends meet due to the change weather where they live, which is affecting the amount of harvest each year. Our medical partner met Kiliani through a community outreach program. After a medical team reviewed his condition, he has been scheduled to have amputation below his knee which will enable him to use a prosthetic leg. This will make walking for him easier and relieve him from the challenges he is going through. Kiliani’s father says “If this treatment can help my son have ease in walking, please help make it possible, we cannot afford the cost of treatment.”

Puthy is a 20-year-old factory worker and the eldest in his family. He has three siblings, two brothers, and one sister. Both of his parents are farmers. In December 2020, Puthy was in a motor vehicle accident that caused a closed fracture of his left tibia. After the accident, he was treated with Khmer traditional medicine for one month, but his condition did not improve. Puthy's neighbor suggested he go to Children's Surgical Centre to seek care. Currently, it is difficult for him to walk, and his leg is very swollen. Puthy is in chronic pain and feels very unwell. His family is especially worried about his condition because is the breadwinner of the family. While he has been in the hospital, his family has lost their income and they will not be able to work while he recovers. Puthy and his family appeal for financial support. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, can help. On February 2nd, Puthy will undergo a fracture repair procedure, which will cost $465. This procedure will help him walk again and return to work to support his family. Puthy shared, "I hope that after surgery my left tibia will be fixed and I will feel better. I am looking forward to having no more pain and infection, and to walking and working as I did before."

Ahereza is a 7-year-old student from Uganda. He is the middle child in a family of three children. His older brother is in primary three while his younger sister is still breastfeeding. His mother is a small-scale farmer. She oftentimes gets an income from working on other peoples farms. His father is causal laborer working on a chicken farm in Kampala. Since two years ago, Ahereza has had an inguinal hernia. This hernia causes him pain and discomfort. Fortunately, on June 9th, he will undergo hernia repair surgery at our medical partner's care center. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $241 to fund Ahereza's surgery. Once completed, this procedure will hopefully allow him to live more comfortably and confidently. Ahereza's mother says: “I pray that my child could get fine after his surgery because he is really in deep pain. I will be grateful after he is operated with support from this program.”

Ainomugisha is a two-year-old girl from Uganda. Her parents are small-scale farmers. Ainomugisha is the only child to the young couple and they cannot afford her treatment. Since about 18 months ago, Ainomugisha has had an umbilical hernia. This causes her to cry especially after meals and if not treated, she might suffer intestinal tissue damage or even death. Fortunately, on January 14th, she will undergo hernia repair surgery at our medical partner's care center. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $219 to fund Ainomugisha's surgery. Once completed, this procedure will hopefully allow her to live more comfortably and confidently. Ainomugisha's mother says, “I pray that my child gets fine after surgery.”

Ant Htoo is a seven-year-old boy from Thailand. He is a first grade student. When he was six, his mother noticed a mass on his thigh. It is not currently painful, but his mother worries that the mass will get bigger as he grows. Ant Htoo's family sought treatment through our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund. He is now scheduled to undergo mass removal surgery on March 8. His family is requesting $1,500 to cover the total cost of his procedure and care. Ant Htoo says, “I want to be a policeman."

Tha Zin is 13-year-old student from Burma. She attends a local school in her home village and is currently in grade seven. In her free time, Tha Zin enjoys drawing. Since 2017, Tha Zin has been experiencing regular episodes of lower abdominal pain. She has been diagnosed with fibroids, which are benign growths in the uterus. She needs to undergo a myomectomy, a procedure in which surgeons will remove the fibroids. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF), is requesting $960 to fund Tha Zin's surgery. She is scheduled to undergo her myomectomy on April 18 at BCMF's care center, Mae Sot General Hospital. “When I grow up, I want to become an engineer,” says Tha Zin.

"I am stressed,” says Aye, a 27-year-old woman from Burma. “I feel frustrated that I can’t help my husband look after my daughter.” Aye used to work as a housekeeper in Bangkok. However, for over five years now, her poor health has made it impossible for her to work. She often experiences fatigue, an alarmingly fast heartbeat, and headaches. These symptoms all worsened when she gave birth to her baby daughter. Lately, Aye cannot even walk long distances. After several assessments, Aye’s doctor diagnosed her with patent ductus arteriosus, meaning that two of her major arteries are failing to transport blood through her heart as they should. Fortunately, this condition can be treated with a surgical procedure known as ligation. But Aye’s family cannot afford to pay for it. Her husband has not been able to work lately, as he has been taking care of Aye and their daughter. With no income, they have fallen into debt. That’s where you come in. By helping us raise $1,500, you can sponsor Aye’s operation on November 29, as well as her lab tests, four-day hospital stay, and follow-up appointments. Aye feels she has already missed out on getting to care for her daughter in the baby’s early years. Let’s make sure she can return to health soon to fully experience the joys of motherhood.

Stephen is a five-year-old boy from Kenya. He lives with his parents, both of whom are subsistence farmers. Ever since he was born, Stephen has had an undescended left testicle. Doctors assured his parents that it would descend by the time he turned five, but this has proven to not be the case. His parents are eager to find treatment so that Stephen can avoid the potential complications of his condition, which include testicular cancer, hernias, and infertility. His parents also fear that Stephen will be teased by his peers at school. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $535 to cover the cost of Stephen's operation. His treatment is scheduled to take place on June 29 and, once completed, will hopefully allow Stephen to live a life free from the medical risks associated with his current condition. “I want to be a driver when I grow up," shares Stephen.

Meet Kenyonyozi, a 53-year-old farmer from Uganda. She has three children, two of whom are still in primary school. For the past nine years, Kenyonyozi has been experiencing irregular, painful and heavy menstruation. Seeking an evaluation through our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, Kenyonyozi has been diagnosed with cervical cancer and advised to undergo a hysterectomy to remove the cancerous tissue. Kenyonyozi is scheduled to undergo her hysterectomy on June 29, and is requesting $268 to cover the total cost of her procedure and care. "I hope to have a peace of mind after the surgery," says Kenyonyozi.

Julia is a jovial ten-year-old girl who lives in rural Guatemala with her family. Her mother is a single parent and supports Julia and her three sisters by working in Guatemala's capital. Although her job provides a steady income, it forces her to live apart from her children. While Julia's mother is in the city, Julia and her sisters live with their grandparents. Julia is in third grade and does well in school. She likes to run and loves to play soccer, but she has been experiencing trouble breathing, which makes it difficult for her to participate in physical activity. Julia and her aunt recently traveled to our medical partner, Wuqu’ Kawoq (WK), complaining of a dry cough that makes it difficult for Julia to breathe. WK diagnosed Julia with asthma. Asthma is a chronic condition in which one's airways narrow, swell, and produce extra mucus, making it difficult to breathe. Already, her asthma has provoked a chronic cough and makes Julia's chest hurt when she tries to run and play. WK is requesting $422 to fund Julia's medicine and the medical attention she needs to manage her asthma. She will begin receiving her mediation on April 10. The medication will allow her to run and play without coughing. She will be able to participate fully in games at school, run without fear of being unable to breathe, and live without the constant bother of a persistent cough. Julia's grandparents say, "We feel sad because she is sick and we would like to help her with everything, but we don't have money. We ask God to help us keep moving forward, and at the same time for you all to have compassion on us and help with our little girl's treatment."

Milka is a sweet 14-month-old girl from Kenya. She is the youngest in her family of five children. At birth, her doctor noticed that she had an abnormal condition in a sensitive area, but the hospital was unequipped to treat this condition. When Milka's sibling received treatment for a cleft lip and palate, she was brought along to our medical partner's hospital. Fortunately, Milka underwent the first of three corrective surgeries on November 25, 2016. After recovery, she should experience improved digestive function. Milka’s family lives in a two-roomed grass house on their ancestral land. Her parents are farmers, and they also work as hired laborers on neighboring farms. They need help to pay for this $1,500 treatment. “I want Milka to lead a normal life without complication," says her mother.

Rain Angelo is a 5 year old boy from Iloilo with severe malnutrition. Rain enjoys playing with his toys in his family house made of bamboo. They get their water from the tuburan (spring) in the mountains and their electricity from a neighbor. Rain's father is a construction worker and his mother is thankful that her son started malnutrition treatment on October 20, 2016. One out of five children under-5 in International Care Ministries (ICM) communities is either severely or moderately acutely malnourished. Worldwide, poor nutrition is associated with nearly half of all deaths in young children. In remote communities and urban slums of the Philippines, the lack of clean water and unclean environments add risk to potentially fatal childhood diseases. ICM’s Home-Based Feeding program provides nutrient enriched food packs to ensure malnourished children get the additional food to regain normal weight, and achieve optimum physical and mental development. After identifying a child being malnourished, like Rain, staff and community volunteers make weekly visits to monitor this child’s progress. To help sustain the health of the child, ICM's professional staff educate the mother, guardian or other family members about proper nutrition, sanitation, hygiene and organic vegetable gardening. "Thank you for enrolling my son in the HBF program." - Rain's mother