When we served at the Mutambara Mission Hospital in Zimbabwe 15 years ago, 90 percent of our beds or floor mats were filled with patients ill with one or a combination of these diseases: HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria. Of these, malaria was the swiftest killer, and those most at risk included pregnant women and their unborn babies, and children under 5 years of age – the women because malaria parasites invade the placenta and multiply there efficiently; young children because they do not have the resistance achieved simply by living longer.
What a difference as we return there now with mission teams! A massive education promotion and the availability of antiretroviral (ARV) drugs for AIDS have changed a lethal diagnosis into a chronic disease. Preventive measures, including the “Nothing but Nets” project, has cut the number of people dying from malaria in half! Now the busiest unit in the hospital is maternity, where healthy mothers are delivering healthy babies. Glory to God! Indeed, this is good news. Having seen these changes first hand, I am an enthusiastic supporter of the
Africa 360 initiative, especially its connection to Imagine No Malaria
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“Give Faithfully. Give Hope. Be a Global Neighbor.”
Africa 360 is the Upper New York Conference’s holistic plan for health and education initiatives in Africa. Uniquely, Africa 360 is about dreaming God-sized dreams, ambitiously eliminating preventable deaths from malaria and equipping the next generation of leaders.
www.unyumc.org/mission/Africa -360
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The church has set a goal of $500. Let’s see if we can surpass that goal!
Envelopes for donations are available at the Welcome Centers and by each door.
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Loose change containers will be in Fellowship Hall, the narthex and the welcome center outside Gibbs on Sundays
April 10: Medicine