World Malaria Day!

Malaria: A deadly threat with a simple solution
By Heidi Isaza and Peter Warski, World Vision U.S.

Rachel Chuya, mother of five in Zambia, remembers her family's battles with malaria.
"Malaria could not end in our household," she says. "It was like we were just exchanging [it]. When my husband suffered from malaria and he got healed, the next person [to get it] was me. When I got healed, the next [were] our children," she remembers.
"It was very painful."
She recalls the symptoms of this terrible disease -- such as fever, chills, yellow eyes, rashes, and vomiting -- and the terrible toll it took on her husband and children.
"It is difficult when a child is suffering from malaria," says Rachel. "As a mother, you are stuck. You get home [from the clinic], and you have nothing you can do. All that comes to mind is, 'I am waiting for my child to die.'"
Rachel had good reason to worry about her children. "I have seen a lot of people die from malaria," she says somberly.
Thankfully, none of her children died. But they did face consequences far beyond physical illness.
"When they suffered from malaria, they [would] take a minimum of two weeks to heal, and by the time they go back to school, they are left behind," Rachel says.
She knew the source of the problem -- and its solution. Infected mosquitoes that would bite her husband and children while they slept could be stopped with bed nets that cost less than $10 each. But for this struggling family, even the nets were cost-prohibitive.
"It has been a challenging thing to decide whether to buy a net or to buy food for the children," she says. "Of course you choose food, because [with] the little money you have, you just have to buy food for the children," she says, adding that her family can only grow their own food during the rainy season -- and even then, it's not enough.
But thanks to gifts given through World Vision's Gift Catalog, their community received bed nets -- including three for Rachel's family. Now, all of them are protected from malaria-carrying mosquitoes as they sleep.
"This time, we are very much free [from malaria] and my children are healthy," says Rachel. "Even at the clinic they are surprised. They say, 'Mrs. Chuya, you can't be seen here. What's happened?' And I tell them that I have no problems now that I've got the nets."
Lillian, 11, loves sleeping under her net. "I feel more secure because [the mosquitoes] are unable to come and bite us," she says.
And with the nets, the children can again succeed with their education. "Now, I am a proud mother. My children are healthy, and when they go to school, they are getting good results," Rachel says with a smile.
"Thank you so much to the donors who helped me get the mosquito nets. It has been a prayer answered to my household," she adds.
Thank God for bringing Rachel's family healing and relief after a long period of suffering. Pray for other families and communities still affected by deadly malaria, and pray for an end to this preventable, treatable disease.
Make a one-time gift to World Vision's Malaria Eradication Fund. Your donation will triple in impact to fight malaria in Africa with interventions like insecticide-treated bed nets, medical care, prevention education, and more.
Give monthly to help fight malaria around the world. Your monthly contribution will help us provide prevention and treatment against this deadly disease, like bed nets, medical care, prevention education, and more.
Send a message to your members of Congress. Ask them to oppose devastating funding cuts to the International Affairs Budget, which provides life-saving assistance to fight deadly but preventable diseases like malaria.

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