April 25th is World Malaria Day!

April 25^th, 2011 is World Malaria Day!

Although malaria is not prevalent in the United States today, malaria claims twice the number of African children as AIDS. According to the World Health Organization, one in every five childhood deaths (20 percent) is due to malaria. Sadly, a child dies every 30 seconds from malaria.

Malaria is very preventable and very inexpensive to prevent! How can we help, and importantly how can we get children involved to help their peers throughout the world?

I implemented a program for my daughter’s third grade class to raise money for malaria.  I taught a simple lesson to the kids on malaria, and how easy it is to prevent it by the use of malaria nets. I also based the lesson in scripture that Jesus would want us to help those who are sick. And by helping those who are sick, we are serving Him (Matthew 25:35-40)!

For the month of April, the third grade classes will collect coins and at the end of April we will send money to His Nets.  His Nets is a non-profit organization which purchases and distributes mosquito nets to families in Africa to protect them from malaria infected mosquitoes. Because many homes in Africa consist of one small room, an entire family can use one large net for up to four years for protection from mosquitoes at only $6.00 per net! For less than the price of a dinner or movie, one life could be saved and an entire family can sleep in peace.

There are many other great organizations that you might partner with. Check out these websites:

1. Compassion International-Bite Back
2. Sweet Sleep-Nickels for Nets
3. Malaria No More

Take a stand and do something this month to fight malaria!  Let me know if you need a copy of the lesson I did–I love to share!

Nothing but Nets III

A few months ago I wrote about a young boy named Jacob, age 11.  Jacob, along with his family attended the Red Card class.  Jacob was very moved by the number of children dying every day because of hunger or a very preventable disease like malaria.  Jacob dedicated his 2010 soccer season to raise money for malaria nets, and raised over $1100.  The money raised was given to His Nets.  The Denver Post featured Jacob’s story.

The Denver Nuggets decided to continue Jacob’s Nothing but Nets project; instead of soccer nets, it was basketball nets.  On January 19, the Denver Nuggets donated $6 from each ticket sold in the upper level section of the Pepsi Center toward His Nets.  KUSA- 9News in Denver told Jacob’s story. Take a moment and watch this story.

Jacob’s mother, Sheri, said, “It doesn’t have to be big, but it can make a big difference in the lives of others.” How is God calling you to make a difference in the lives of vulnerable children?

Share your ideas with us!

Nothing but Nets II

A few months ago I wrote about a young boy named Jacob, age 11.  Jacob, along with his family attended the Red Card class.  Jacob was very moved by the number of children dying every day because of hunger or a very preventable disease like malaria.  Jacob dedicated his 2010 soccer season to raise money for malaria nets, and raised over $1100.  The money raised was given to His Nets.  The Denver Post featured Jacob’s story.

The Denver Nuggets saw this story in the Denver Post, and decided to continue Jacob’s Nothing but Nets project; instead of soccer nets, it will be basketball nets.  On January 19,  the Denver Nuggets will donate $6 from each ticket toward His Nets.  If you live in the Denver area, please consider attending this game and being a part of Jacob’s project to help vulnerable children in need.

To order tickets visit

http://www.pepsicenter.com/groups/nuggets/hisnets

The Hidden Homeless

In any major city throughout the United States, you will see the homeless on the streets.  But, there is another group of people who don’t have a home – and you will never see them on a street corner; they are the Hidden Homeless.

And, while they might have four walls and a roof – they don’t always have a home. They are consistently in transition, constantly living a life of survival. They live in cars. They find temporary beds in church basements or abandoned buildings. They sleep on somebody’s couch. They are seniors on fixed incomes. They are adults with full-time jobs. They are single mothers. Many are children.

I was invited by my friend Donna to attend a fundraiser called Night in a Box, Friday December 3^rd.  The fundraiser is for the Hidden Homeless in Denver.  If you live in the Denver area, consider participating.  For those outside Denver, find out about the Hidden Homeless in your area—there just might be an opportunity to help in your city.

December is a cold month!  Our Take a Stand Opportunity for December is to prepare a Jesus Cares  Kit.  I would encourage you and your family to make a few bags, and have them ready for any homeless you might encounter.

Nothing But Nets

The last session of the 8-week Red Card class that I taught was set aside for kids and their families to share how the class had impacted them. It was a time to share what God showed them and how He was leading them to make the difference in the lives of children at risk throughout the world.

Jacob, who is 11, shared a statistic that made him really sad: 30,000 children die every day because of hunger or a preventable disease.  When he learned that malaria was killing more children than AIDS, he wanted to do something about it.  A soccer player, Jacob decided to dedicate his fall soccer season to raising money for mosquito nets.

A few weeks later, I received a letter from Jacob inviting me to donate money for every goal his team made for the entire season.  The money raised would be used to purchase mosquito nets.

I was so moved by Jacob’s letter.  This is the end goal we envisioned when we wrote Red Card.  Children are active participants in the gospel of Jesus Christ, and children can make a difference!

Here’s a link to an article that appeared in today’s Denver Post  highlighting Jacob’s story.