Mikaeli is a 12-year-old boy. He is the oldest of three siblings in his family and a student. Unfortunately, he had to discontinue his studies due to mobility challenges caused by a congenital condition in his left foot. His father is struggling to find appropriate treatment for him, which is causing a lot of stress for the family. The condition causes an inward and downward twist in his left foot, and his parents are concerned about the potential implications on his future if left unaddressed. Mikaeli’s father, a farmer, serves as the primary breadwinner for their family of three children. Despite his efforts on the farm, the income generated from sales is insufficient to cover all their expenses. In response to this financial gap, the father takes on casual jobs to supplement their income. However, even with these combined efforts, the funds they currently generate are inadequate to meet the medical costs associated with their son’s condition. Fortunately, Mikaeli's family traveled to visit our medical partner's care center, Kafika House. There, the team will begin clubfoot treatment on December 29th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $935 to fund Mikaeli's clubfoot repair. After treatment, Mikaeli will eventually walk comfortably and wear regular shoes. Mikaeli’s father says: “I wish for my son's leg to be normal so that he can return to school and continue his education.”

Samuel is a smart, playful boy aged one year and eight months old. He loves martial arts and can recite the entire alphabet. He loves to pray with his mother. Before he was born, a prophet told his mother that she would give birth to a son named Samuel. She was very happy to have a son as her older children are all girls. Samuel's mother cleans the street for a living. She carries her son on her back and cleans the street early in the morning. Sometime back, Samuel contracted pneumonia due to the cold mornings, and she stopped working for a while. She has recently resumed to help support her family. Her husband works as a day laborer, but he does not have consistent work. The family lives in a rented single-room mud house. Their income is minimal, and they struggle to meet their daily expenses. They receive government donated food on public holidays. An international organization supports one of her school-going daughters, paying for her education and donating some food every month. Samuel was born with a congenital condition called epispadias, where the urethra does not develop into a full tube, and the urine exits the body from an unusual site. As a result of this condition, Samuel experiences constant urinary leakage and is unable to urinate while standing like other boys. Samuel is scheduled for epispadias repair but his family is not able to meet the surgery costs. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Samuel receive treatment. On March 12th, surgeons at their care center BKMCM will perform an epispadias repair surgery so that Samuel can live more comfortably and confidently. Now, Samuel's family needs help to fund this $1,040 procedure. Samuel's mother says, "I love him so much that I pray every day that he will be fine after the surgery. I am worried that I might lose him during the surgery, but I want him to heal and become like other boys, so I consented to him having the surgery. I wish for him to become continent, and attend school someday."

Phanith is an 18-year-old student who lives in Takeo province in Cambodia with his parents and two siblings. His mother works in a clothing factory and his father works in construction. In December 2021, Phanith was involved in a motorcycle accident. He lost consciousness and suffered damage to his brachial piexus or the network of nerves that branch off from the spinal cord in the neck and extend down into his shoulder, arm, and hand. In addition, he fractured the lower bone of his left arm. At a local hospital in Takeo province, he underwent an open reduction and internal fixation of his left radius, to repair the fracture. However, he still suffers from weakness, loss of sensation, and paralysis in his left shoulder and arm. Phanith lives in constant pain because the hardware from his surgery has become exposed and is infected. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, can help. On April 5th, Phanith will undergo a hardware removal procedure. Phanith is able to contribute $80 but needs your help to raise another $304 to fund the procedure. The removal of the hardware will eliminate the source of the chronic infection and allow surgeons to concentrate on rehabilitation for his brachial plexus injury. Phanith shared, "I hope I will have no more infection, be able to move my left arm, and be able to return to finish school."