"In April a mother living in Kasai Annual Conference, the most remote area of the Central Congo Episcopal area, learned from United Methodist communications that there was a free Health Center in the conference.
That same month her son became very ill with what she thought was malaria. The parents set out to walk 25 kilometers (or 15.5 miles) to the Health Center. This walk was no small task; having to carry a child 15 miles when the average temperature is between 68 and 90 degrees.
After their walk the son was admitted to the Health Center of Kananga II on April 4, 2013 with a case of severe malaria and anemia. Both diseases affect red blood cells, and together make a person much more vulnerable to death caused by response to either disease.
The father of this child arrived with tears streaming down his face because of the pain his child was experiencing. The father was worried his son would die.
Death would not visit this family on April 4, 2013 because of the work of Imagine No Malaria. Imagine No Malaria has helped to fund a project in six different health facilities in the Central Congo Episcopal Area, including this health center. There, the boy received a blood transfusion to correct the anemia and then drug treatments to combat the malaria itself. For a poor family, the cost of that intervention is too great to bear, but the UMC is working to fund precisely these kinds of treatments to save lives.
The father's tears turned into smiles with the full recovery of his son. The father offered a profound testimony of gratitude both for the staff of the health center and the leaders of UMCOR/Imagine No Malaria. The father was astonished to learn all the services were FREE. He believes the project should continue in order to save lives.
This family never would have known about the treatment options available if it were not for the effective communications that are a part of our Imagine No Malaria efforts. This family never could have afforded the treatment their son received for FREE through this Imagine No Malaria funded clinic. Remote areas of the Kasai Annual Conference and the country are benefiting from information about prevention and how to access treatment thanks to The United Methodist Church."
Today I ask you, Imagine no malaria. What a dream.
Just think . . . If we all opened our hearts and our wallets, we could eradicate malaria in our lifetime.
We could and would make a lifesaving impact on our neighbors on the other side of the world.
Think about it. Pray about it. I have and I can't walk by and do nothing.
Please stand, give your heart and hands to do what God wants. There are no good reasons that we should ignore what God has commanded us to do. Love your neighbor as yourself. I am looking forward to congratulating all of you for being God's servant.
Sincerely,
Jim Miller
