Mary is an eight-year-old girl. She is a talkative and playful young girl. She is the last born in a family of seven children and the family is not well off financially. Both of her parents do casual jobs like ploughing people's farms for a living and such jobs are not easy to find where they live. Sometimes the church members chip in to help them where they can. When Mary was one year old, she was involved in an accident where she sustained burns to her head, some parts of her face and neck. She was rushed to the hospital and was admitted for better care. While in the hospital, a surgery was done on her head where she had sustained more burns. She was then discharged and booked for wound dressing clinics. The wounds were healing well as per the doctors’ plan. Her parents managed to take her for the clinics for a few months but later stopped because of finances. While at home, the wound got infected but due to lack of funds, she was not taken to hospital at that time. Time went by and the infection spread to most parts of the head. When she was three years old, the family met up with a local pastor who started helping them. He started financing Mary’s hospital visits with the help of some church members where he ministered. The wound was dressed again but the recovery process was very slow. In mid this year, the pastor brought them to Kijabe Hospital, she was examined, and the wound was dressed properly. Since then, the wound has been healing as expected. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Mary receive treatment. On December 9th, surgeons will perform a debridement and skin graft procedure to help the remaining wound to heal properly. Now, Mary's family needs help to fund this $1,185 procedure. Mary’s father says, "Since the accident, we have been struggling a lot to make her get the required treatment but have failed to some extent. Coming to Kijabe, our hopes have been boosted greatly with the improvement she has experienced, and we hope that she will go through with the surgery and be well again.”

Leap is a chatty, two-year-old with a big smile. He lives with his parents and two older sisters in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Leap does not yet attend school, and likes playing with toys and falling asleep in his mother's lap. His father repairs cars for a living, while his mother is a homemaker. Leap's delivery was a difficult one, during which he suffered from an injury known as shoulder dystocia, which occurs when one or both of a baby's shoulders gets caught inside the mother's pelvis during childbirth. This often results in a brachial plexus palsy, when the neck of the infant is stretched during the birth process. The nerves responsible for providing feeling and movement in Leap's shoulder, arm, and hand have been affected, leaving Leap unable to move his right hand. Fortunately, on December 15th, specialty surgeons at our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, will perform a tendon transfer, to improve Leap's shoulder function and the use of his hand. After surgery and rehabilitation at Kien Khleang Rehabilitation Centre, surgeons hope that Leap will have movement in his shoulder, and be able to use his hand. Leap's family needs your help to fund the $572 cost of the procedure, the hospitalization, and Leap's rehabilitation. Leap's mother said: "I hope Leap will be able to move his hand after surgery and use it well."

Saroeun is a 60-year-old farmer from Svay Rieng province. She has eight sons, one daughter, and fifteen grandchildren who keep her busy. She lives with her husband, who is a farmer, and her youngest son who is still studying in school. At home, she enjoys listening news on the radio. One year ago, Saroeun developed a cataract in her left eye, causing her blurry vision and light sensitivity. She has difficulty seeing things clearly, including colors and faces, and is worried about falling when walking, so is not able to go places on her own. When Saroeun learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled for four and a half hours seeking treatment. On January 2nd, doctors will perform a phacoemulsification cataract surgery which will break up the cataract with ultrasound, irrigate the eye, and remove the cataract through suction. Then they will implant a new lens in her left eye. After recovery, she will be able to see clearly. Now, she needs help to fund this $253 procedure. Saroeun said: "I hope I can see everything and recognize faces clearly after surgery. I would like to plant more crops and go outside."