World Malaria Day

Today is World Malaria Day.

I have seen malaria up close and personal many times.  I have held children burning with fever and losing consciousness from a disease that can be prevented and treated.

Our son Emmanuel had severe malaria when we first met him in Ghana.  We spent days treating him, praying he would live.  Thankfully we were educated and knew what to do to get him help.  Many parents aren't so lucky.  They don't have anyone to tell them the truths of malaria.

• A child dies from malaria every 60 seconds
•  Most of the children are under 5 years old
• In 2010, almost 600,000 children in Africa died from malaria
• Malaria is preventable, treatable, and curable
• The testing and treatment for a single person infected with malaria costs less than $3
• The average cost of a mosquito net is $4 – too expensive for most Ugandan families who live on less than $2 a day.

Hope Grafted In is blessed to partner with Healing Faith in Uganda.  Healing Faith is a ministry that provides medical care and malaria education, while sharing the love and grace of Jesus.  I was able to spend time with them a few months ago.  We spent the day providing malaria education in the village of Kagoma Gate.

I will never forget our time meeting with one mother.  She opened up and shared her story with us.  She had lived a hard, tragic life, filled with abuse, death of children, and exile from her home.  She didn't know what caused malaria in her children, but she did know that she had lost 4 of them to the disease.  I can still see the fear in her face grow into understanding as we walked her through the truths about malaria.  How it was prevented and treated.  And then we provided her humble home with a net.

I am ashamed to think of how I felt that day.  It was tedious, endless work walking from home to home, talking with people through an interpreter, checking in on others that had already received education.  I was hot and it smelled.  At times, it even seemed to not produce the results I was sure that it should be.  There were people that had received the education that didn't appear to be living any differently.  And I was there for 3 hours.  Good grief.  My friends give their lives to this work.  Even if that mama was the only person that day that heard truth and felt God's love, isn't that valuable and important work?  Isn't that more than enough?

If going after one sheep is good enough for Jesus, it is good enough for me.

My family in Christ across the globe needs our help.  The goal is to raise $25,000 in one week to allow Healing Faith to purchase a fully-equipped Mobile Malaria Vehicle that will allow the team to reach the villages year round. Malaria peaks during the rainy season – the time when it is the hardest for the Healing Faith team to reach the villages due to poor road conditions. This vehicle will enable them to reliably reach the villages regardless of the weather and will be a huge blessing to their ministry.

I pray you will join me in BITING BACK with Healing Faith TODAY!

Update 4/26/2014--Over halfway there.  GO GOD!  Get in on the fun today by giving below!

only yesterday and yet a lifetime

4 years ago today God brought this special little girl into our family.  While remembering makes it feel like only yesterday, in thinking about the story of our family, it was a lifetime ago.  We are forever changed from knowing and loving her.

Summit Chicago

Sometimes you just can't say it better.  These are all reasons I am attending Summit!

 

Top 10 Reasons to Love CAFO2014! From heartbreak to jubilation, you'll feel it all as you hear some of the world's most compelling speakers and stories! Sara Groves, Andrew Peterson and other great artists lead worship, live lunchtime music and more. From connecting with an adopted child at home to global orphan care partnerships, CAFO2014 has 100+ workshops to guide wise action! Woah. Visits to exhibit booths win free stuff: iPad, Kindle, books & more. That's right!  This road isn't supposed to be walked alone. Find new friends and allies who will go the distance with you! Two amazing days for far less than most any national conference.  When you or your church join CAFO as a member, the price is even lower! Want to dive extra deep in parenting skills, church ministry, orphan care research or other key topics?  Come a day early and get even more. Hear what's on the minds of top thought leaders when they can't sleep at night: the cutting edge ideas and insights that carry huge potential to impact lives. Join a live radio audience, screen new films, walk the journey of a foster youth, and much more! Rooting adoption, foster care and global initiatives deep in the heart of God: "We love because He first loved us!"

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