Meet Sophanun, a 12-year-old student from Cambodia. His favorite subject in school is English, and he hopes to become an English teacher or translator when he grows up. In his free time, Sophanun likes playing soccer with his friends. Last week, Sophanun had a bad cold, and since then, he has been experiencing ear discharge, tinnitus, and hearing loss. He also keeps waking up throughout the night, causing him to feel tired at school. Medication has not improved his symptoms, and his family brought him to our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre (CSC), for help. On March 13th, surgeons at CSC will perform a myringotomy procedure to drain the fluid from his ears so he can hear well and no longer experience uncomfortable symptoms. CSC is requesting $184 to fund this procedure. Sophanun's family contributed $75 to his care. His mother shared: "I hope he feels better after surgery and can go back to school."

Esther, who is five years old, lives in a remote area of Tanzania, primarily populated by the Maasai people. Esther's parents rely on cattle breeding for income to support their family, but due to changing climate, there is increasingly insufficient pasture land to keep the cattle from starving. Esther has also been unwell for quite some time, and after seeking both spiritual and medical help, Esther's parents decided to relocate her, so that she now lives in the city with her grandmother. Esther was diagnosed with genu varus, or bow legs, a condition commonly caused by excessive fluoride in the bones, a result of ingesting contaminated drinking water. Her legs bow outward, making it difficult for her to walk. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $880 to fund corrective surgery for Esther. The procedure is scheduled to take place on January 6th, at Arusha Lutheran Medical Centre. Treatment will hopefully restore Esther's mobility, allow her to participate in a variety of activities, and greatly decrease her risk of future complications. Esther’s grandmother says: “Esther is now a happy girl, I wish for her legs to be normal so that she doesn’t have to suffer in the future.”

Grace is a 50-year-old living in the Nairobi area of Kenya. She is a mother of three children, but shared that she has separated from their father. Her youngest child is in school, and the older children are a 31-year-old handy worker and a 29-year-old preacher trainee. Before the Covid-19 pandemic, Grace was doing well financially. She used to sell secondhand clothes at Gikomba market and was able to earn a living and support her children. The Covid outbreak and the subsequent lock downs have made her life and that of her children very difficult, and she is now struggling to pay off a loan. Her condition started back in 2014. She started having abdominal pains and discomfort. The condition became worse about three years ago when pain became severe with a lot of sweating. She has been going to different hospitals and getting treatment without much help. A scan showed that she has cholelithiasis. She has now come to our medical partner's care center Nazareth Hospital and the surgeon recommended a cholecystectomy. Unfortunately, Grace cannot afford the fee for this surgery and needs help to raise the $788 required for it. If not treated, she will continue to have the pain and risks serious complications. Grace says, “I am desperate because the pain is too much, I can’t do my housework well and even my work. I have no one to turn to so I kindly request for support to have this surgery so that my life can be normal again.”