Baby Desta is a seven-month-old girl who lives in Ethiopia with her parents and two older brothers. She is active, cheerful, and loves smiling. Her father works as a daily laborer, while her mother is a homemaker. Despite limited income, her parents remain committed to fulfilling their children’s needs. Baby Desta was born with a condition called Hirschprung's disease. This is where a portion of the intestine does not have proper nerve function, causing bowel dysfunction. When she was about two weeks old, Baby Desta’s abdomen started to swell, prompting her mother to bring her to a health center. At the health center, the family was referred to a higher-level hospital. Baby Desta was admitted to the hospital, and doctors advised that she would require surgery to remove the affected part of the bowel, or she would continue to have symptoms and be at risk of serious complications. This greatly concerned her parents, who worried they could not afford treatment. Thankfully, after a long and stressful journey through multiple health facilities, the family was referred to our medical partner’s care center, BethanyKids Myungsung Christian Medical Centre. Baby Desta will undergo surgery on November 2nd. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1,500 to cover the cost of the procedure and related medical care. Baby Desta’s mother shared, “Thank you so much to everyone. May God protect you in your work and continue to bless you as you help others. Thank you for your kindness and support.”

Van is a 75-year-old retired security guard from Phnom Penh, Cambodia. He is married and has two daughters, two sons, and seven grandchildren. He lives with his wife, his oldest daughter, and his oldest son. In his free time, his favorite hobby is listening to spiritual education from monks on his phone. Van has been experiencing cataracts for the past seven months. He developed a cataract in his left 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 falling when walking, so he is not able to go places on his own. Van learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), to seek treatment. On September 7th, doctors will perform a phacoemulsification cataract surgery and an intraocular lens implant in his left eye. After recovery, he will be able to see clearly. He can contribute $25, but needs help raising $263 more to fund his procedure and care. Van said, "I hope that after the cataract surgery, my vision will improve so that I can see more clearly, recognize my relatives easily, travel to faraway places, and cross the road safely by myself."

Sopheak is a 14-year-old boy from Cambodia. He is a 10th-grade-student who enjoys math and has dreams of becoming a teacher one day. His parents earn a living selling lunch, while his older brother works as a motorcycle mechanic. In Sopheak's free time, he likes listening to music and watching movies. His favorite foods are fried eggs and caramelized pork. Sopheak was born with a cleft lip and underwent cleft lip repair surgery in 2012. However, he still has a notch along the border of his upper lip. As he has grown older, he has become increasingly concerned about the appearance of his nose and experiences difficulty breathing. These concerns have affected how he feels about his appearance, and he hopes further treatment will help him feel more comfortable and confident as he grows up. After his initial surgery, he was advised to return when he was older for further correction. He followed this advice, travelling two hours back to our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre (CSC), for another assessment. On October 26th, 2026, he is scheduled to undergo rhinoplasty using rib cartilage, alar reduction, and lip scar revision to improve the shape of his nose and address the remaining concerns with his lip. His family needs $360 in support to help him receive the treatment he needs. Sopheak's mother said, “I’m happy that my son has the chance to receive further treatment. He has been unhappy with the shape of his nose for a long time, and sometimes he also has difficulty breathing. I hope this surgery will help him breathe more comfortably and feel more confident about himself as he grows up.”