Ren is a 43-year-old rice farmer. Residing in Pursat province, she and her husband have three daughters. Their eldest, a 17-year-old, has transitioned from school to assisting her parents on the family farm. The middle daughter, aged 12, attends the 5th grade, while the youngest, a one-year-old, remains in the care of other close relatives at home. Six months ago, while carrying a large bundle, Ren slipped and fell, fracturing the bones in her right forearm. The family did not have the financial means to go to a hospital and visited a Khmer healer. Despite receiving treatment, her fracture persists without healing, and she has now developed a rash on her arm as a side effect of the traditional treatment. Her pain radiates sharply to her thumb, and she is unable to use her arm. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, can help. On January 8th, Ren will undergo a fracture repair procedure, which will cost $483. Following three days of traction involving the use of weights, pulleys, and ropes to delicately apply pressure and realign the bones, surgeons are preparing to proceed with an open reduction internal fixation surgery to address her fractures. After surgery Ren will have improved mobility of her arm. Ren said: "I hope my bones are back in place to be fixed, and I can use my arm again after this operation, and have no more pain."

Rin is a 78-year-old retired rice farmer from Kompong Chhnang province in Cambodia. He has one daughter, two sons, and seven grandchildren. Sadly, his wife passed away almost fifteen years ago, due to complications from chronic illnesses. Rin then moved in with his daughter, who helps support him by working for a local construction company. He loves spending time with his grandkids, harvesting fruit in the village, and listening to the local Buddhist radio station. About one year ago, Rin developed a cataract in his right eye, causing him itchiness, tearing, and blurry vision. A cataract is a clouding of the lens of the eye, so it is like looking through a frosty or fogged-up window. He has difficulty seeing things clearly, including colors and faces, and is worried about potential falls while walking, which has made him reluctant to venture out independently. When Rin learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, he traveled for three hours seeking treatment. On April 1st, doctors will perform a small incision cataract surgery and an intraocular lens implant in his right eye. After recovery, he will be able to see clearly. Now, Rin needs help to fund this $253 procedure. Rin shared, "I hope after surgery my eye can see clearly. This would make me happy and I would feel more confident about going to the pagoda on my own."

Janet is a small-scale farmer from Uganda. She completed her education up to the primary level but had to withdraw due to lack of school fees. She got married at the age of sixteen and together with her husband, they have seven children. The family has a small piece of land that Janet and her husband cultivate. Their earnings from this are very modest and unfortunately some of their children have had to drop out of school due to financial constraints. Ten months ago, Janet started experiencing some troubling symptoms, including severe abdominal pains. She was diagnosed with a large irregular intra-peritoneal cystic mass. She has been experiencing great discomfort which has deteriorated her health and has directly impacted their family income. Physicians recommended a laparotomy, which is a surgery that opens up the abdominal cavity to treat her condition. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $279 to fund Janet's treatment. On March 7th, she will undergo surgery at Uganda Martyr's Ibanda Hospital. Once completed, this procedure will greatly improve her quality of life. Janet says, "I was already worried about how we shall raise the hospital funds but to my surprise, God already had a plan for us. I have high hopes of having a successful surgery, and I know everything will move on smoothly. I will be able to resume my usual activities of farming, and my children will be able to go back to school and complete their studies.’’