Anastazia is a nine-year-old student from Tanzania. She has seven siblings and lives in the heart of Serengeti, a beautiful area in Tanzania, home to some of the most breathtaking wildlife on the planet. Her father is a small-scale farmer who relies on subsistence agriculture to provide for his family. From a very young age, Anastazia's legs started bowing, making it difficult to walk, run, or play like other children her age. Her parents noticed the problem and did everything they could to find a solution, including visiting local doctors and healers, but nothing worked. Unfortunately, they could not afford to take her to a hospital in the city, which was too far away. As a result, Anastazia was forced to live with her condition and learned to adapt to it. She walks to school with her siblings, but with some difficulty and discomfort. Fortunately, Anastazia was able to reach our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), where she was diagnosed with Acquired bilateral genu varus. Her legs bow outward so that her knees do not touch. This condition is typically caused by an excessive accumulation of fluoride in the bones, often stemming from contaminated drinking water. AMH is requesting $880 to fund corrective surgery for Anastazia. The procedure is scheduled to take place on April 17th, and the treatment will hopefully restore Anastazia's mobility. This will allow her to participate in various activities and greatly decrease her risk of future complications. Anastazia says, “I wish to be able to walk to school with my siblings without having to endure so much pain.”

Ester is a two-year-old girl from Burma. She lives with her parents and sister in a village in Karen State. Her father is a pastor, while her mother is a homemaker who looks after Ester and her sister. Ester's parents depend on donations from church members to cover the cost of their basic needs. Since Ester was born, she has been unable to move her eyes. She does blink whenever someone waves their hands close to her eyes; however, her mother does not know whether or not Ester can see. Doctors want Ester to undergo a CT scan, a procedure in which X-ray images taken from several angles are combined to produce cross-sectional images of the body. This scan will hopefully help doctors diagnose Ester's condition, enabling them to formulate an appropriate treatment plan. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $414 to cover the cost of Ester's CT scan and care. Her scan is scheduled for April 24th, at Mae Sot General Hospital. "We, [her parents], have dedicated our lives to serving God. I want her to be able to walk and see. When Ester grows up, I want her to go to Bible school and become a missionary, spreading God's message, and sharing her life’s story," said Ester's mother.

Caroline is a 26 year old woman who lives in the Nairobi area with her husband and five year old son. Caroline is a casual laborer who washes clothes for her neighbors, while her husband is also a casual laborer at construction sites getting work whenever he can. Six years ago Caroline began to experience troubling symptoms, including a swelling of the neck, accompanied by regular headaches, increased heartbeat at times, and difficulty sleeping. The problem appeared to start with a small nodule in her neck, which increased in size during her pregnancy. She was ultimately diagnosed with an enlarged thyroid gland, which will need to be excised to prevent her symptoms from getting worse. Luckily Caroline's friend, Teresia, who had a thyroidectomy supported by the Watsi community, brought Caroline to meet with doctors from our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare. Now on February 28th Caroline will undergo a thyroidectomy at Nazareth Hospital, where surgeons will remove all or part of her thyroid gland. This procedure will cost $657, and Caroline and her family need your help to raise this money. If not treated, the goiter will continue to grow, causing more severe symptoms and potentially leading to thyrotoxicosis. “I thank my friend for bringing me to Nazareth. I also request for help so that I can be treated and get back my normal life. My family is just beginning, and I hope to be well to take care of my young family like other mothers,” said Caroline.