Rollex is is the youngest of seven children in a family from Kenya. His mother is a stay-at-home mom, while his father does casual farming tasks. With an income that barely sustains their needs, they are not able to pay for medical care. Rollex 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, Rollex 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 Rollex's spina bifida closure surgery. The procedure is scheduled to take place on December 6. This procedure will hopefully spare Rollex from the risks associated with his condition, instead allowing him to grow and develop along a healthy trajectory. “I am afraid that my son might not lead a normal life but I am hopeful because God is in control,” says Rollex’s mother.

Mal is a 29-year-old woman from Burma. She is a housewife who looks after her two daughters. Her husband is a pastor. One day in April 2016, Mal woke up with blurry vision in her right eye. She visited an optometrist, thinking that she may need glasses. She was told, however, that this was not an eye problem and was told to visit the hospital in Mandalay, where they would be better equipped to handle her treatment. At the hospital in Mandalay, she was given oral medication, but this did not help at all. Finally, she had an MRI, which showed a large mass or tumor growing in her brain and exerting pressure on her ocular nerves. Mal experienced headaches and lost her vision in both eyes. Mal sought treatment through our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund. She is now scheduled to undergo mass removal surgery on January 15. She is requesting $1,500 to cover the total cost of her procedure and care. Until she lost her vision, Mal used to help teach the congregation’s children every Saturday at Sabbath School. She also used to sew clothes for her own children and she loved to read. “I hope I will be able to do this again,” says Mal.

Abraham is a casual laborer from Kenya. He is a hardworking father of one. Abraham is the firstborn in a family of four. He lost his parents when he was only ten, which forced him to drop out of school and to take care of his three younger sisters. On his way to work, Abraham was aboard a tractor loaded with logs. Unfortunately before reaching their destination, the tractor lost control and hit a wall. Abraham broke his leg, while the others only suffered minor injuries. Abraham is not able to walk on his own and experiences pain. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner can help. On November 23, Abraham will undergo a fracture repair procedure, called an open reduction and internal fixation. This treatment will enable him walk again and go back to work again Now, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $968 to fund this procedure. “I pray to God to give me good health so that continue working hard," says Abraham.

Upendo is a 13-year-old student from Tanzania. Her name means love in Swahili. She lives with her parents and is the fourth of nine children in her family. Her mother works as a farmer, and her father as a carpenter, to support their family. True to the meaning of her name, Upendo is a very warm and loving girl. She enjoys school and hopes to become a nurse one day. Upendo was born with clubfoot on her right leg. Her condition makes it difficult for her to walk. Hearing about our medical partner's care center, Arusha Lutheran Medical Centre (ALMC), from a neighbor, she decided to seek treatment. On August 4, Upendo will begin treatment for her clubfoot at ALMC. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is asking for $890 to cover the cost of her treatment, including surgery and cast fees. “After treatment, I will be glad to be able to walk without pain,” says Upendo.

Two-year-old Tabitha lives with her mother and grandparents in Haiti. She enjoys playing with the other children in her neighborhood and helping her family cook their meals. Tabitha was born with a cardiac condition called complete atrioventricular canal defect. With this condition, a large hole exists between all four chambers of her heart, allowing blood to mix freely between them. This prevents Tabitha's body from receiving enough oxygen and leaves her sick and weak. Complete atrioventricular canal defects are especially common in children like Tabitha who have Down syndrome. Watsi's medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance, requests $1,343 to pay for Tabitha to travel to the Cayman Islands for treatment. Tabitha's trip is currently scheduled for August 9. "My family is very excited for Tabitha to be able to play and be active without getting tired!" shares her mother. Let's help make that happen!

Ma Yee is a 39-year-old woman who lives in Thailand with her husband and three daughters. In February 2016, she began experiencing sickness and abdominal pain, as well as a burning sensation in her abdomen. A clinic doctor gave her one week of oral medication, which temporarily relieved her pain but did not last long. The doctor carried out an ultrasound in early 2017 and told her she has a noncancerous pelvic mass. She was referred to our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF). Ma Yee currently experiences dizziness, sickness, occasional headaches, and abdominal and back pain. Because she is in severe discomfort, she cannot sit for more than 20 minutes at a time. Her husband now takes care of her and their three younger children. For this reason, he is working much less than usual, which has financially strained the family. Fortunately, Ma Yee will undergo a total abdominal hysterectomy on April 11. Her family needs help to fund this $1,500 procedure, which should relieve her symptoms. Ma Yee's husband says, “We do not have money for the surgery, so we really wanted you to help us for the surgery. Thank you for accepting us...When she is better, I would like to return to thank BCMF and the donors.”

Meet Sarah, an outgoing woman who lives with her husband, Edward, in Butagota, a small town in southwestern Uganda. They own a small business repairing motorcycles: Edward is the mechanic, while Sarah sells spare parts to customers. In addition, she farms a small plot of land to support their family of four with two young children, ages five and three. When the children are at home after school, Sarah enjoys playing tag and soccer with them. As an active member of the community, Sarah is the chairperson of the burial society and secretary of the local savings and loan group. For the last five years, Sarah has had a lump in her right breast. Two years ago, she was scheduled to have it removed, but at the time, she was breastfeeding her youngest child. Now, it needs to be removed. Sarah will be paying for a separate biopsy to determine if the lump is cancerous once it has been excised. The mass excision will be funded at $196 to cover surgical staff, medications, and hospital respite. “Thank you very much," says Sarah. "I have nothing to give in return, but I am so grateful for this help. I will ask God to bless all of you."

Robert is a 55-year-old man from Uganda. He has been working as a tailor for 37 years, making dresses, suits, and school uniforms. Robert and his wife have been married for 34 years and have eight children and 11 grandchildren. When Robert is not working, he enjoys visiting with friends and sings tenor in his church choir. Seven years ago, Robert developed a hernia in his groin, and the pain keeps him from playing with his grandchildren and impedes his work as a tailor. Our medical partner, The Kellermann Foundation, is requesting $229 to cover the total cost of Robert's surgery. He is scheduled to undergo hernia repair surgery on June 3. "I would like to thank all the donors for this assistance," says Robert. "And hope they continue providing assistance to others.”

Bunthan is a 32-year-old farmer from Cambodia. He is happily married and has two sons. Bunthan makes instruments for fishing and plants vegetables behind his home. In his spare time, he enjoys watching boxing matches. On January 2, 2007, Bunthan was in an accident that left him with a fracture. He went to a Khmer traditional healer for treatment. Six years later, he got into another accident. Bunthan went to a private clinic, where doctors attached a plate and screws to his humerus. The plate helped his injury heal but has recently started to cause pain and discomfort. Doctors at our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), have scheduled surgery on February 14 to perform a plate removal from his left humerus. CSC is requesting $411 to fund this procedure. Bunthan looks forward to being free from pain.

Jhapat is 70 years old and lives with his wife and children. His eldest son works in Japan to support his family back home, while his other sons work on the farm with him. The yield from the field keeps them fed for about seven months of the year. During the remaining months, they buy food from the market. Recently, Jhapat began to have pain in his right groin region. He has difficulty walking or lifting heavy weight. This prompted him to take the two-hour jeep ride to reach our medical partner's hub at Bayalpata Hospital. He will undergo hernia repair surgery on February 9. During the surgery, the bulging tissues in his abdomen will be removed. Jhapat and his family cannot afford this procedure, so our medical partner, Possible, is requesting $451.

Maria lives with her family in Guatemala. She has two sons and a seven-year-old daughter. Her husband works as an agricultural day laborer, and Maria weaves and manages the household. For four years, Maria has been experiencing seizures. Recently, she began taking medication, which has been largely effective, allowing her to live seizure-free. However, the cause of her seizures is still unknown, and her life remains negatively impacted by her condition. She frequently experiences painful headaches and feels tired. To determine the cause of her seizures, our medical partner, Wuqu’ Kawoq, needs additional diagnostic information. Maria is scheduled to undergo testing on January 20. She will receive a full diagnostic work-up, including labs, an MRI, and a consultation to determine the cause of her seizures. Then, our medical partner's team will develop a personalized treatment plan to reduce the frequency and length of her seizures. This will improve Maria's quality of life. While Maria and her husband work hard, they are unable to pay for this expensive diagnostic workup. Wuqu' Kawoq is requesting $1,044 to fund her procedure. "I want to see my children grow up well, and then to see my grandchildren," says Maria.

Irene is a 45-year-old woman from Uganda. She and her husband, Jackson, are subsistence farmers with six children, who are all attending school. She enjoys watching them play with others and teaching them traditional music and dance. Irene came to our medical partner's hospital, Bwindi Community Hospital, with a lot of pain and discomfort in her lower abdomen. After examining her, doctors discovered that she has a uterine condition and advised she undergo a hysterectomy. The surgery is scheduled for January 18. Irene and Jackson are unable to cover the full cost of her treatment. However, she would like to help fund her surgery herself, so she has provided $4 to subsidize the cost. Our medical partner, The Kellermann Foundation, has requested the remaining $321 to fund her treatment. Irene sends her thanks to Watsi donors for helping her. When she is fully recovered, she is looking forward to returning to farming.