Lomunyaki is a 3-month-old baby boy from Tanzania. He is the only child to his parents. Lomunyak's mother is staying at her parent’s home after giving birth to Lomunyak. Lomunyaki's father didn’t want to take his son to the hospital thus the mother was forced to ran away and go seek help from her parents. Her parents are livestock keepers with very little income but they were able to get some money and took Lomunyaki to a clinic. Lomunyaki 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, Lomunyaki 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 $966 to cover the cost of Lomunyaki's spina bifida closure surgery. The procedure is scheduled to take place on February 12th. This procedure will hopefully spare Lomunyaki from the risks associated with his condition, instead allowing him to grow and develop along a healthier trajectory. Lomunyaki’s mother says, “I was very shocked when I gave birth to Lomunyaki; he is my first born and him born with a disability made me feel very bad like there was something wrong with my womb. Please help my son get this treatment.”

Sandra is an 11-year-old student from Haiti. She lives with her parents in a city in northwest Haiti. She is in the fifth grade and especially likes reading and art. Sandra has a cardiac condition called ventricular septal defect and pulmonary hypertension. A hole exists between the two lower chambers of her heart; she also has blood flowing through her lungs at much higher pressures than normal. Sandra will fly to Cayman Islands to receive treatment. On February 24th, she will undergo cardiac surgery, during which doctors will first perform a catheterization to make sure the high pressures in her lungs can be reversed. If the results of this procedure are positive, she will go on to have open-heart surgery in which doctors will close the hole in her heart with a patch. Sandra's family needs help to fund the costs of surgery prep. The $1,500 bill covers labs, medicines, and check-up and follow-up appointments. It also supports passport obtainment and the social workers from our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance, who will accompany Sandra's family overseas. Another organization, Have a Heart Cayman, is contributing $17,000 to pay for her surgery. Sandra shared, "I am looking forward to being able to walk to and from school without stopping to rest!"

Mebruka is a cute baby girl from Ethiopia who loves people and to play with others. She loves eating spaghetti. She has one older sister and she loves to play with her. Her mom is a house wife and her dad is a daily laborer. They live in a rented house and the dad’s income is very much limited for the expenses of the family. Mebruka was born with an anorectal malformation, a congenital abnormality that leads to a complete or partial intestinal blockage. She needs to undergo a series of procedures to eliminate bowel dysfunction. Mebruka is scheduled to undergo surgery to correct her condition on November 5th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,500 to cover the total cost of Mebruka's procedure and care. After her recovery, Mebruka will no longer experience bowel dysfunction or be at risk of developing health complications in the future. Her mother said, “It is my hope that my baby will heal and that makes me happy even now.”

Magdalena is a 4-month-old baby girl from Tanzania. She is the last born child in a family of three children. Her parents are small-scale farmers selling vegetables for a living. Magdalena has clubfoot of both feet. Clubfoot is a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape. This causes difficulty walking and even wearing shoes. Fortunately, Magdalena traveled to visit our medical partner's care center, Arusha Lutheran Medical Centre. There, surgeons will perform clubfoot repair surgery on February 21st. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $890 to fund Magdalena's clubfoot repair. After treatment, she will be able to walk easily and wear shoes when she grows up. Michael’s mother says, “We are unable to afford her treatment cost due to financial challenges please help our daughter.”

Noam is an 86-year-old grandmother of twenty from Cambodia. She has six children and enjoys listening to the monks pray on the radio in her free time. One year ago, Noam developed a cataract in each eye, causing her vision loss. She has difficulty seeing things clearly, recognizing faces, and going anywhere outside. When Noam learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled for one hour seeking treatment. On July 11, doctors will perform a small incision cataract surgery and an intraocular lens implant in each eye. After recovery, she will be able to see clearly. Now, she needs help to fund this $398 procedure. She says, "I hope that after my surgery I will be able to recognize my relatives' faces and can return to the pagoda."

Guivens is a student from Haiti. He lives with his parents and older sister in a small town on the western coast of Haiti. His father is a fisherman and his mother is a vendor in the local market. Guivens has a cardiac condition called rheumatic mitral regurgitation. One of the four valves in his heart was severely damaged due to a fever he suffered earlier in childhood, and cannot adequately pump blood through his body. Guivens will fly to Dominican Republic to receive treatment. On September 2, he will undergo cardiac surgery, during which surgeons will first attempt to repair his damaged valve; if this is not possible, they will implant an artificial replacement. Another organization, Mitral Foundation, is contributing $6,000 to pay for surgery. Guivens'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 Guivens's family overseas. His mother says, "I am very thankful that God is answering our family's prayers and allowing our son to have surgery!"

Netsanet is a young student from Ethiopia. She was born with an anorectal malformation, a congenital abnormality that leads to a complete or partial intestinal blockage. She needs to undergo a series of procedures to eliminate bowel dysfunction. Netsanet is scheduled to undergo surgery to correct her condition on July 23. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,500 to cover the total cost of Netsanet's procedure and care. After her recovery, Netsanet will no longer experience bowel dysfunction or be at risk of developing health complications in the future. Her mother says, “I can’t afford the medical bill. We managed to come to hospital through the support of another organization."

Valary is a girl from Kenya. She was warming herself near an open fire in 2015 when her clothes caught fire. She suffered second degree burns and spent three months receiving care in a local hospital. After discharge, she did not heal fully, and contractures developed. This makes it difficult for her to walk. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is helping Valary receive treatment. On July 12, surgeons at their care center will perform a burn contracture release surgery to help her walk easily again. Now, she needs help to fund this $1,176 procedure. Valary says, “I want to be a teacher when I grow up. Please help me."

Vy is a 14-year-old monk from Cambodia. He is the oldest of three bothers, and in his free time he likes to read scripture and story books. When he was a child, Vy had an ear infection. This infection caused the tympanic membrane, or the ear drum, in both ears to perforate. For this reason, Vy experiences discharge, tinnitus, hearing loss, and irritation. He is unable to hear properly, affecting his communication with others. Vy traveled to our medical partner's care center to receive treatment. On April 30, he will undergo a myringoplasty procedure in both ears. During this procedure, surgeons will close the perforations. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $831 to fund this procedure. This covers medications, supplies, and inpatient care. He says, :I hope that after my surgery, I will no longer worry about my ear infection and I will be able to hear clearly again."

Batson is a farmer with a large family from Malawi. He lives with his wife and eight children. He enjoys chatting with friends in his free time. Since 2016,, Batson has had a hydrocele, which is a swelling in a sensitive area. The hydrocele causes pain and discomfort, making it difficult to work and to live a normal life. Fortunately, on April 30, he will undergo hydrocele repair surgery at Nkhoma Hospital, our medical partner's care center. Our medical partner, World Altering Medicine, is requesting $302 to fund Batson's surgery. The requested money pays for supplies, medications, and six nights of hospital stay. He is very happy to have this surgery so that he can be normal, as he was before. His family is supportive and thankful. He says, "I am thanking God for this project and wanting to assist others who also need this."

Sum is a 70-year-old rice farmer from Cambodia. She has twelve grandchildren and likes to listen to the monks pray on the radio. Three months ago, Sum developed a cataract in each eye, causing her blurry and cloudy vision. She has difficulty seeing things clearly, recognizing faces, and going anywhere outside. When Sum learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled for two and a half hours seeking treatment. On March 18, doctors will perform a small incision cataract surgery and an intraocular lens implant in each eye. After recovery, she will be able to see clearly. Now, she needs help to fund this $398 procedure. She says, "I hope that after surgery, I am able to see more clearly and go back to the pagoda to join the ceremonies."

Pauline is a baby from Kenya. She has been diagnosed with encephalocoele, a type of neural tube defect in which brain tissues and overlying membranes protrude through openings in the skull. Encephalocoele usually results from a failure of the neural tube to completely close during fetal development. Without treatment, Pauline is at risk of developmental delays, brain damage, or premature death. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $929 to fund encephalocoele repair surgery for Pauline. The procedure is scheduled to take place on May 7. Hopefully, the repair of this condition will allow Pauline to grow up healthy.