Deodanta is a 77-year-old mother from Uganda. She has nine children, but has sadly lost two. In 2013, she also sadly lost her husband. She lives in a four-room mud house, and her children range in age from 32 to 51 years old. Deodanta practices small-scale farming for a living. When she was about 20 years old, Deodanta began to experience troubling symptoms, including pain in her neck. When she gave birth, she developed a small painless swelling in her neck. Over time, her condition worsened, as the swelling grew in size and became painful. Now, most of the time, she experiences headaches and she can no longer hear properly. She also gets fatigued easily and has difficulty breathing when sleeping. She has had to stop farming due to her condition. Deodanta has been diagnosed with a non-toxic multinodular goiter, and requires surgery to prevent her symptoms from worsening. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), is helping Deodanta receive treatment. On January 6th, she will undergo a thyroidectomy at AMH's care center, where surgeons will remove all or part of her thyroid gland. Now, she and her family need help raising $333 to fund her procedure and care. Deodanta shared, “I hope and pray that I may get well through surgery so that I may be able to take care of myself. I hope to be able to supervise my crop fields after complete recovery.”

Nicholas is a 40-year-old from Kenya and a dad to two daughters. Nicholas works a variety of labor jobs, and his wife is a homemaker. They also have a small piece of land where they plant maize. Their oldest daughter is in high school, while their youngest is in primary school. Nicolas was recently injured while working with a team preparing animal feeds. He was carrying a hay machine when one of the screws broke, causing Nicolas to receive a deep cut on his left hand and a broken radius (wrist). He was rushed to a nearby hospital, where the wound was sutured and dressed, and Nicolas returned home with an arm sling and medication to help with the pain. When he returned a few days later, the doctors confirmed that he needs an implant to stabilize the fracture. As this facility does not have a surgeon, Nicolas visited our medical partner’s care center for further treatment. The medical team stabilized the fracture with a splint and arm sling. Nicholas also spoke with the orthopedic surgeon, who told him that he must undergo surgery to align the broken bone. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), can help. After the swelling subsides, Nicholas will undergo a fracture repair procedure, called an open reduction and internal fixation, on February 27th. This procedure will relieve his pain and allow his fracture to heal properly so he can return to work and care for his family. AMH is requesting $1,145 to fund this procedure. Nicholas said: “I have always worked hard in order to ensure that my family doesn’t lack. My hand is now injured, and I cannot work to earn a living. It is sad, but I am grateful to God for the gift of life. Kindly help me so that I may continue providing for my family.”

Juliet is a 43-year-old small-scale farmer from Uganda. She has been married to her husband for 20 years, and he works as a mason. She has four living children; tragically, one of her children passed away after delivery. All of her other children attend school, with the youngest in second grade. Juliet completed high school, but could not fund any further education. Juliet grows food crops mainly for home consumption and sells the surplus to generate income for her family. During her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family. Juliet is currently expecting her sixth child. Her doctors have recommended that she deliver via Caesarean section because of her three previous C-section scars. Otherwise, she could experience complications like uterine rupture that could be fatal. This way, doctors can ensure the safety of both mother and child. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), is helping Juliet undergo a C-Section on March 9th to ensure her safety and her baby's. Now, she needs help raising $252 to fund her procedure and care. Juliet shared, "I am grateful for your support and I hope to have a successful delivery."