Abduselam is a playful two-year-old boy from Ethiopia. His mother is a home-maker who lost her parents when she was a child, and was brought up by relatives. She left Ethiopia at the age of fifteen, worked in Saudi Arabia for twelve years, and built the house where she and her family currently reside using the money she earned abroad. She built an additional three rooms that she presently rents out, and uses the income to support her family's basic needs. Abduselam's father farms in the family's ancestral land, and his parents live together with his wife and children in one household. For fun, Abduselam enjoys playing in the mud with other with other children in the neighborhood. Abduselam was born with hypospadias, a condition in which the urinary opening is not at the usual location, causing urinary dysfunction. Abduselam was born while his family was living as internally displaced persons during the war in Tigray, and his mother noticed the condition when he was three months old. She took him to local hospitals and he was put on long treatment waiting lists. While waiting for her son to receive treatment, Abduselam's mother heard that another child with the same condition had received treatment at our medical partner's care center, BethanyKids Myungsung Christian Medical Center (BKMCM). She managed to get connected to a social worker at BKMCM, and a relative paid for their transportation to the hospital. Abduselam's mother is presently worried, but is hopeful that her child will receive the medical treatment he needs. Without surgical correction, Abduselam will continue to experience uncomfortable symptoms, and is at risk for infertility. Fortunately, Abduselam is scheduled to undergo corrective surgery on June 25th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1,293 to cover the cost of his procedure and care. Abduselam's mother says, “I hope he will get the surgery that he needs and fully recover, so that he can have a normal childhood.”

Yan is a 29-year-old man from Karen state, Burma. He works in a Japanese shop together with his younger brother to support their mother and two sisters, who stopped farming due to the conflict in Burma. His mother and sisters live in another village in Burma. The owner of the shop provides free accommodation to Yan and other shop staff. His income takes care of his family, but is not enough for expensive treatment costs. Yan has recently been experiencing back pains and chest pains and has been passing yellowish, cloudy urine. When he was reviewed at Maharaj Nakron Chiang Mai Hospital, he was diagnosed with kidney stones and a procedure called percutaneous nephrolithotomy was recommended, to remove the kidney stones from the body. Fortunately, our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is helping Yan receive treatment. On May 24th, surgeons at BCMF will perform the surgery to relive his symptoms and improve his quality of life. Now, Yan needs help to fund this $1,500 procedure. Yan says, "I am happy to have met BCMF and have an opportunity to discuss both my health and personal challenges. Without BCMF and donors, I would be forced to rely on medication to manage my symptoms, putting my life at risk. The financial burden would be a barrier to accessing life-saving surgery."

Brak Vin is an active two-year-old boy from Cambodia. He is an only child and lives with his parents on the outskirts of Phnom Penh, where they sell groceries and snacks from their home. At home, he enjoys drinking fresh milk and eating dragon fruit. He enjoys playing with his homemade toys or going on walks with his father. Brak Vin was born with polydactyly of his right hand. This means that he has an extra thumb on his hand. His parents worry that he will face challenges as he grows up and will feel ashamed of his hand. Fortunately, on July 2nd, our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, can help. Surgeons will perform a polydactyly repair procedure to remove the extra finger. This procedure will help him use his hand more easily. Brak Vin's family is able to contribute $100 but needs help to raise $199 more to fund the procedure. Brak Vin's father shared, "I hope the extra finger can be removed, and he will feel at ease with his hand in the future."