Wilbroda is a widowed mother of six who has become increasingly dependent on her children as a result of progressive vision loss. Wilbroda once earned a modest living by fermenting maize flour and preparing mkarango, which she sold at a nearby local market. Each sale, however small, gave her a measure of independence and a way to support her family. As her eyesight deteriorated, she could no longer manage the workload and eventually had to stop selling at the market. Her six children have stepped up to financially support the family, temporarily working on other people's farms. As a mother, Wilbroda finds the inability to earn difficult, especially when having to ask her children to carry the financial load. In 2024, Wilbroda developed a cataract in her left eye, causing her to progressively lose clear vision, making it more difficult to carry out careful, everyday tasks such as food preparation, selling at the market, and moving around confidently. Because of the cataract, Wilbroda experiences cloudy vision and has difficulty seeing colors and faces. Moreover, she is worried about falling when walking and requires assistance when traveling. When Wilbroda learned of our medical partner, IcFEM Dreamland Mission Hospital, she traveled several hours on a muddy road seeking treatment. On October 15, doctors will perform an eye exam and an intraocular lens implant in Wilbroda's left eye to improve vision. Now, she needs help to fund this $244 procedure. Wilbroda shares, "Thank you to those who are standing on my behalf to pay my surgery bill, which I could not afford. I pray that God blesses them richly so they can continue supporting people in need like me."

Emmah is a two-year-old girl from Haiti. She lives with her parents in Port-au-Prince. Her father is a mechanic, while her mother is a vendor. She likes listening to music and helping her mother in the kitchen. Emmah has a cardiac condition called patent ductus arteriosus. A hole exists between two major blood vessels near the heart; blood leaks through this hole, leaving her weak and unable to gain weight properly. Emmah needs to fly to the Dominican Republic to receive treatment. On October 20th, she will undergo heart surgery, during which surgeons will use a device on the end of a catheter to plug the hole so that blood can no longer leak through it. While another organization is contributing money to pay for surgery, Emmah's family also needs help to fund the costs of surgery prep. Our medical partner, International Cardiac Alliance, is requesting $1,500 to cover labs, medicines, and check-up and follow-up appointments. It also supports securing travel documents for the family and travel costs for the social workers from our medical partner, who will accompany Emmah's family overseas. Emmah's mother says, "I will be praying for everyone who is helping to heal my daughter's heart!"

Grace is a four-month-old baby girl from Tanzania. She is the second-born child in a family of two children. Her parents are pastoralists who care for cattle as their main livelihood. Grace was born with clubfoot on both feet. Clubfoot is a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape. The tissues connecting the muscles to the bones are shorter than usual, and this causes difficulty walking and wearing shoes. Fortunately, Grace's family traveled to visit our medical partner's care center, Kafika House. Surgeons will begin clubfoot treatment on October 15th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $341 to fund Grace's clubfoot repair. After treatment, she is expected to move, play, and grow comfortably. Grace's mother shared, “We are thankful that we found Kafika House. We are hopeful that Grace will receive the treatment she needs and grow up walking comfortably.”