Safety Nets

In the U.S. we don't have to worry about things like Malaria, but it takes the lives of thousands of children in Uganda every year.  They don't have immunizations against it there.  They don't have access to the resources we have in the U.S. to kill off the mosquitoes that carry the disease.  The mosquito net is the life saving tool used there.  How blessed we are here in the U.S. to be able to sleep at night in relative peace and safety.  How thankful I am for that gift that God has given us.  Mosquito nets cost only a little, but many children do not have them because their families cannot afford this simple means of protection.  Every trip I have taken to Uganda has brought me face to face with someone either recovering from Malaria, or someone who has it.  Lawrence, (The Little Boy At The Gate) had it when he was a year old, that is why he has the medical problems he does, and why we are trying to get help for him.  As you remember, he is now 5 years old and we are working with him to learn to eat and talk. We bought a large net for him and his little sister during our September 09 trip.  When it was handed to his grandmother you would have thought she had been given a million dollars!   In January of 2009 we met a beautiful little girl (picture below) who had malaria while we were there.  Our team was able to purchase a mosquito net for her, and obtain medication to help reduce her fever.   The pregnant girls at Return to Bethel (a maternity home that provides safe shelter to pregnant young women)  also had malaria when we were there.  I'm not sure if that contributed to one of the girls having a miscarriage at 9 months or not (while we were there),  but I think it could have.  She had just gotten over a case of malaria (during her late term of pregnancy), and suddenly quit feeling the baby move. She was taken to the local hospital (ill equipped and not a clean facility), where 2 days later, after being induced, she gave birth to a dead baby girl.  This mother was 15 years old.  Think about it......THOUSANDS of children die EVERY YEAR in Uganda from Malaria!  Perhaps we can work together and provide the financial  resources to purchase mosquito nets there in Uganda.  Each net is only about $10.00 dollars U.S.  We can not put a price on the life of a child.  I pray that the Lord will protect these little ones.  I pray that He will raise up those here in the U.S. who will be vessels for Him in helping the helpless.  I want to be that vessel.....I pray that you do too.

This is the beautiful little girl who had malaria while we were there.          The girl in pink is the one who lost her baby at full term, shortly after recovering
                                                                                                      from malaria.