Malaria Day

Sunday was Malaria Day. We decided to participate in World Vision's "Night of Nets" on Friday Night. This was an opportunity to share how people, especially children, around the world are being affected by malaria. Since Cory has had malaria several times after contracting it in Madagascar, and learning more about the disease, we felt it important to share. However, no on showed up. Maybe I didn't advertise it enough--though I've blogged about it and posted notes and information for the past few weeks. Our family supported my endeavors and we learned more about malaria and watched a 9 minute video on the subject. Malaria is deadly. 350-500 million people are affected by malaria every year. 2000-3000 children die from malaria every day. Malaria was eradicated in our country in 1951, why can't it be abolished in other countries? In 2008 our President signed a bill to provide $5 billion towards malaria, HIV/AIDS, and poverty. 2 years later, only $500 million has been given. One way that malaria can be prevented is with the use of bed nets. $6 will save a life by providing an insecticide treated bed net that will cover 2 or more children and will last up to 4 years.

Malaria Quiz

1. What percentage of the world’s population is at risk for malaria?
41% of the world’s people live in areas where malaria is transmitted, including parts of Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Central and South America.
2. Malaria kills more than 1 million people per year around the world. What percentage of these deaths are children in Africa?
90% of those who die from malaria are African children.
3. How often ( in seconds) does a child die from malaria in Africa?
30--In Africa a child dies from malaria every 30 seconds. However, those who survive are not left unaffected. Many children who live through malaria are left with brain damage or learning disabilities.
4. True or False: Malaria infections in Africa have decreased in the last three decades.
False. Although malaria is an easily preventable disease, because of increasing drug resistance and struggling health-care systems, malaria infections in Africa have actually increased during the last three decades.
5. True or False: Malaria infections are contagious.
False. Malaria is transmitted by certain types of mosquitoes that carry a parasite that causes the disease. A person contracts malaria when he or she is bitten by an infected mosquito.
6. How many different types of human malaria are there?
Four types of malaria infect humans, although only two types cause most deaths. Of those deaths, most occur among children under age 5.
7. True or false: Only female mosquitoes transmit malaria.
True. Only the female Anopheles mosquito can transmit malaria.
8. Installing a bed net treated with insecticide decreases malaria transmission by what percentage?
90%. Using bed nets treated with insecticide can reduce malaria transmission as much as 90%. Bed nets are treated with insecticides that are not harmful to humans but are highly toxic to insects.
9. In Africa what time are you most likely to get bitten by a malaria-infected
mosquito?
In the middle of the night. The African malaria mosquitoes generally bite late at night or during early morning, between 10 p.m. and 4 a.m.
10. The word malaria comes from two medieval Italian words meaning:
Bad Air. The word malaria originates from the Italian language and translates literally as “mala aria” or “bad air.” This came from the early belief that the disease was caused by breathing the stale, warm, humid air found around swamps.

Information from World Vision, www.nothingbutnets.net, cdc.gov, and malarianomore.org

Recycled Flip-flops!

Check these out! What creativity!

Barefoot in the Snow

Malaria Bites--Bite Back!

No child should die because of a mosquito bite. Together, we can end malaria in our lifetime.
Malaria is near and dear to our family, because Cory has had malaria several times. She lived in Madagascar, Africa for 8 years and contracted malaria for the first time during her first year there.

Many people who live in Africa and other countries as well are susceptible to a mosquito bite.

How can this dreaded disease be stopped? Well, one way is by providing bed nets treated with insecticides. One $6 bed net is large enough to protect 2 children or more for about 4 years.

Why is this cause important? Because more than 2,000 children die each day from malaria. (some sources say 3,000)

Malaria is a potentially fatal infection of the blood that is caused by a protozoan parasite called Plasmodium. An infection occurs when a person is bitten by a mosquito that carries the parasite.

Malaria is preventable and treatable. However, each year, 350-500 million people are infected with malaria. African children under the age of five account for 75% of those who die--that's 3,000 children each day and 20% of ALL childhood deaths in sub-Saharan Africa. (source: UNICEF)

Malaria endangers pregnant mothers and babies. It is responsible for as many as 10,000 maternal deaths a year. Women who contract malaria during pregnancy can run the risk of maternal anemia, spontaneous abortions and stillborn children. Their children may suffer from impaired fetal growth, premature birth or low birth weight.

Malaria symptoms include fever, headache, nausea, vomiting, and joint aches. If left untreated, malaria can develop into cerebral malaria that can cause a coma and even death.

Let's put an end to malaria. Bite Back! Donate $6 per bed net to World Vision or $10 per net to Compassion International!

HELP SAVE A LIFE!

Let's Go Barefoot!

April 8 is National Barefoot Day. So, we're going barefoot all around town. Why would we do such a thing? Especially in the rain? Today is Tom's Shoes One Day Without Shoes. Tom's Shoes gives a pair of shoes to a child in need for every pair you purchase. They set aside one day a year to emphasize the need to provide shoes for children around the world. They have asked people to go the day, part of the day or even just a few minutes, barefoot, to experience a life without shoes first-hand, and to help spread awareness of the impact a simple pair of shoes can bring to a child's life. Most of us forget about our feet. Imagine a life without shoes; constantly aware of the ground in front of you, suffering regular cuts and scrapes, tending to infection after each walk, and enduring not only terrain, but heat and cold. Wearing shoes and practicing basic hygiene can prevent both infection and disease due to unsafe roads and contaminated soil.Here are some facts:1) In some developing nations, children must walk for miles to school, clean water and to seek medical help.2. Cuts and sores on feet can lead to serious infection.3. Often, children cannot attend school barefoot.4. In Ethiopia, approximately one million people are suffering from PODOCONIOSIS, a debilitating and disfiguring disease caused by walking barefoot in volcanic soil.5. Podoconiosis is 100% preventable with basic foot hygiene and wearing shoes.

Our day started out cooler than it has been all week. It's been raining since early this morning. It's now overcast and wet. Hoping the sun will come out a little before we start our walk through downtown Franklin. However, people all over the world can't worry about the weather. When they need to walk to town, walk to get water, walk to get medicine, they may have to walk barefoot. 

Cory and I headed to Franklin and began our walk. By now it had begun to get a little chilly, but we were determined. We got a few stares and could see people reading the signs attached to Cory's purse and my back. We went into Philanthropy and one mother and daughter were disappointed they had forgotten it was April 8th. We suggested she go ahead and take her shoes off right then. She and her sister were afraid her feet would be "stinky" but she sat down in the store and removed her shoes and socks--"way to go"! The only other store we went to downtown was the camping store. No one said anything negative.

We stopped by the civil war park and walked along the asphalt. However, I ended up in the grass because my feet are NOT tough! like so many that walk barefoot on a daily basis. Cory's trying to toughen up her feet though in preparation for her next trip to Madagascar. Of course, she usually wears flip-flops there (and she has the nail scars to prove it). 

Next we stopped off at the gas station and on to Target. No problems again. Not everyone has the privilege to go in to a nice store like most we have in America. And they don't always have the shoes to wear once they get there. Most have outdoor market places to shop and there is no need or shoes.

It would be interesting to find out if any schools out there allowed students to come to school today barefoot. In many countries children are not allowed an education unless they have shoes to wear. It saddens me to hear that.

So kick off your shoes and GO BAREFOOT!

Easter Sunday a day late!

Yesterday was Easter Sunday, a day when many take part in Easter egg hunts, dress in their finest, and feast on foods set aside for the holidays. Some make this day their annual pilgrimage to church to celebrate the resurrected Christ--or is it merely to "show off" their "finery"?
However, many do go to celebrate life. Easter does fall at a time when new life abounds--tulips and daffodils in bloom, cherry blossoms (or is it another kind), calves and colts in the pasture along with lambs and kids. What an amazing time to celebrate new life in Christ. Many came to know Christ for the first time Sunday. What a terrific day to find "new life".
Speaking of "new life":  for the past few weeks I have begun feeling "new life" once again. 2009 held several spiritual challenges for me. I tend to "hold on to things" a little longer than I should--just ask my family. I know I shouldn't, but that's what I do. Since finding a new church that preaches the truth (not that the other church didn't speak the truth) and experiencing corporate worship, which I hungered for, I feel like I'm being renewed in some ways. I wish I had visited this Calvary Chapel sooner, however, I've been able to see God work. I am once again excited about attending church again. The past year had become a ritual. Sure, once in a while I received something, but rarely. Perhaps I wouldn't allow my heart to accept the message or the song. Needless to say, I was in a "funk" so to speak, but now I'm beginning to rise above that with God's help.
Once again, I'm going to church, worshipping and in the Word. I've also begun to have a heart for the world. Unfortunately, I let some circumstances "stomp" my love for the nations. It had once been my passion. Many of you know that has been my hearts cry for a lot of years. However, this past year that passion died. Perhaps there was a small flame left that just wouldn't die out or maybe the embers of my soul were fanned back to life. In fact, you may be getting tired of my posts. Don't worry, they'll continue. I want to have God's heart for the world once again. My desire is for God to break my heart with the things that break His. I want His eyes for just one second, His eyes so I can see, His arms for the brokenhearted, and His heart for the ones forgotten.
We cannot stay forever on the "mount of transfiguration", basking in the light of our mountaintop experience (Mark 9:1-9) But we must obey the light we received there, we must put it into action. When God gives us a vision, we must transact business with Him at that point, no matter what the cost.
(Oswald Chambers)
Did not our heart burn within us...? Luke 24:32

This blog was inspired by my friend Sandra who asked the other day what's been "On My Mind" lately and what God has been teaching me.