Vireak is a 22-year-old construction worker from Cambodia. He lives in the Kampong Chhnang province with his mother as well as several nieces and nephews. Due to his father's passing away several years ago, Vireak stopped school after Grade Eight and is the primary breadwinner for his household. On April 15th, 2025, Vireak was riding his motorbike home from a construction site when he crashed into a cow. He fell onto his left side, resulting in a fracture of his left upper arm and several fingers on his left hand. His mother took him to the provincial hospital, but they declined to perform surgery due to an irregular heartbeat. A splint was applied to his arm, and he was then sent to Phnom Penh for further treatment. Vireak is unable to use his left arm, and his fingers are red and swollen. Due to his arm injury, he cannot work, resulting in no income for the family. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, can help. On May 2nd, Vireak will undergo a fracture repair procedure to enable the proper healing of his fracture, allowing him to use his arm again. His family can contribute $75 but they need help to raise $408 more to fund the cost of his procedure and care. "I hope I can use my arm again soon so I can work and help my mother," Vireak says.

Birhanu is a three-year-old boy from Ethiopia. He is the youngest among ten children in his family. His father is a small-scale farmer, while his mother is a housewife. Birhanu enjoys playing with his siblings and the other children in his village. For one year now, Birhanu has had a right inguinal hernia. Inguinal hernia is a condition that occurs due to a weakness in the abdominal wall. This condition can present at birth, and sometimes the hernia or bulge is only visible when the child is crying, coughing, running, playing, or straining during a bowel movement. Children with this condition may be irritable and have a reduced appetite. Symptoms can include burning or aching sensations at the bulge, pain or discomfort, and a heavy or dragging sensation in the groin. In infants and children, inguinal hernias always require surgical intervention to prevent complications such as incarceration. Birhanu's family took him to our medical partner's care center, BethanyKids Myungsung Christian Medical Centre, to consult with medical staff. Fortunately, on April 17th, he will undergo hernia repair surgery. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $512 to fund Birhanu's surgery. Once completed, this procedure will hopefully allow him to live more comfortably and confidently. Birhanu's father says, “Thinking of my child receiving the necessary surgery and being healed makes me overjoyed. When that time comes, I will be grateful to God for the opportunity to go back home with my child healthy again.”

Desalu is a shy 14-year-old boy from Ethiopia. He enjoys playing football with his friends and spending time with his siblings. As the eighth child in his family, he bears the weight of both joy and responsibility. Tragically, when he was just five months old, his mother passed away from tuberculosis, leaving a significant void in his family's life. His family, consisting of 11 members, relies heavily on agriculture for their livelihood. His father works diligently as a farmer, but their crops often fail, forcing them to depend on government food aid, through which they received monthly maize rations. Desalu was born with hypospadias, a condition that causes urinary dysfunction. After his mother’s death, Desalu's family struggled to provide him with proper care. Although his older sister tried to assist him, they were unable to access medical treatment. Desalu’s father believed his son’s condition was a curse, a punishment from God, which prevented him from seeking medical help. This belief deepened years later, when Desalu’s younger brother was also born with the same condition. The situation became unbearable for the father, who felt he was cursed by both God and his ancestors. As he grew older, Desalu became increasingly self-conscious about his condition, often feeling embarrassed while playing with friends. He dropped out of school shortly after enrolling, fearing stigma and discrimination if his peers discovered his condition. Instead, he joined a church deacon school at a monastery in their area. Without treatment, he will continue to experience uncomfortable symptoms and will be at risk of infertility. Hope came when Desalu's father visited his daughter in Sekota, a regional administrative unit, and heard about a boy who had been successfully treated for a similar condition through our medical partner's care center, BethanyKids Myungsung Christian Medical Centre (BKMCM). Encouraged, he contacted the organization and a field coordinator confirmed that the condition was treatable. This brought renewed hope, and for the first time, Desalu’s father believed his sons could receive the care he needed. With fresh optimism, the family now looks forward to a brighter future. Desalu is scheduled to undergo corrective surgery on June 6th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1,293 to cover the cost of his procedure and care. Desalu's father said, "I hope he receives the best possible treatment. That would make me so happy. I hope he will develop normally and thrive."

Adonias is an adorable three-year-old toddler from Ethiopia, the second born child in his family. He loves playing with other children and has a particular fondness for football. His mother makes injera (an Ethiopian delicacy) for sale, while his father works as a casual laborer. Despite their efforts, their income is insufficient to meet the family’s daily needs. Adonias was born with hypospadias, a condition that causes urinary dysfunction. When his mother discovered his condition, she did not take him to the hospital because she believed her struggles during pregnancy, caused by war, financial instability, and her separation from Adonias’s father, contributed to his condition. Out of fear and shame, she kept his condition a secret. She cried day and night and isolated him from the community to prevent others from noticing it. One day, a neighbor noticed Adonias passing urine and inquired about his condition, but his mother was at a loss for words. Soon after, someone approached her and shared information about our medical partner's care center, BethanyKids Myungsung Christian Medical Center (BKMCM), saying that she and her son could receive support from there. Overwhelmed with emotion, she felt a wave of gratitude, believing that God was finally helping her. She reached out to BKMCM who facilitated her transportation and accommodation during her three-day journey to the hospital. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Adonias receive treatment. On May 15th, he will undergo a surgical procedure to correct the procedure and reduce the risk of further medical complications, including the risk of infertility. Now, Adonias's family needs help to fund this $1,293 procedure. Adonias's mother said, “When the doctor told me that the case is treatable with surgery, I was happy and relieved. I was very afraid, thinking he had two two reproductive organs. I did not want others to learn about it. I am sure I will rejoice after the surgery. I wish to thank everyone that is supporting my son's care."

Andrice is a 15-year-old student from Haiti. He lives with his parents and three siblings in a neighborhood of Port-au-Prince. He enjoys going to school and would like to be a minister when he grows up. Andrice has a cardiac condition called rheumatic mitral regurgitation. One of the four valves of Andrice's heart was severely damaged as a result of an infection when he was young. Although the valve was surgically repaired six years ago, he has continued to grow, and the valve needs another repair or replacement to function normally. Andrice will fly to the Dominican Republic to receive treatment. On July 14th, he will undergo cardiac surgery, during which surgeons will either repair Andrice's damaged valve or remove it and implant an artificial replacement. Our medical partner, International Cardiac Alliance, is contributing $6,000 to pay for the surgery. Andrice's family also needs help to fund the costs of surgery prep. He needs $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 Andrice's family overseas. Andrice's father shared: "Our family is all praying that everything will go well with Andrice's surgery!"

Por is a second-grade student from Cambodia. He is seven years old and the only child in his family. He lives with his parents in a rural village in Kampong Cham province. His mother works as a tailor, and his father is a cashew farmer. In school, he likes mathematics. At home, Por enjoys playing with his toy cars, and his favorite meals are fried meats like chicken and pork served with rice. For the last four years, Por has been experiencing recurring fevers, difficulty breathing and swallowing, and loud snoring at night. Recently, his mother noticed that his tonsils have enlarged significantly, making them visible and causing him additional discomfort, especially while eating and sleeping. Por was recently diagnosed with enlarged tonsils and adenoids, which, if not treated, will cause his symptoms to persist and possibly intensify over time. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $265 to fund a tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy for Por, which is scheduled to take place on May 13th. Surgeons will remove his tonsils and adenoids, hopefully relieving Por of his symptoms and helping him live much more comfortably. Por's mother said: "After this operation, we want Por to be healthy again and return to school regularly."