We Can Do This!

“Watching a small child die from malaria is a horrific experience. First come the headache, tiredness, weakness in the joints and general malaise, followed by a very high fever. Then the fever’s effect on the brain causes the child’s muscles to jerk, just before the end.” ~Tom Gillem, Interpreter Jul/Aug 2009.

Every sixty seconds, malaria claims another victim, but it is a completely preventable, treatable, and beatable disease. Malaria is bleeding the continent of Africa, but we can do something about it. Our Iowa Annual Conference is working together to “Imagine No Malaria.” We are working to raise funds to eliminate death and suffering from this deadly disease by the year 2015.

Our congregation has the opportunity through Imagine No Malaria to save thousands of lives. “It is possible to give without loving,” said John Wesley, “but it is impossible to love without giving.” Imagine No Malaria is our opportunity to respond to our calling—to show our love through our generous gifts.

Our Leadership Board has accepted the challenge of our Bishop to engage in this effort to Imagine No Malaria and give money to help eradicate malaria completely. The financial support provides mosquito nets, educates about prevention, establishes community based malaria control programs, and revitalizes hospitals and clinics across Africa.

Ending malaria, along with creating new places for new people, are the twin priorities for our Bishop and Annual Conference. I applaud the leadership and focus to try and accomplish a couple of significant things. The Imagine No Malaria Goal is $75 Million. The Iowa Conference Goal is $2 Million by June 2014. So far the Iowa Conference has received $371,116 (through the end of 2012). Knowing that $10 saves a life, we have been challenged to set a goal of saving ten lives for each person in the congregation.

Therefore, our commitment is for Salem to save 2000 lives by giving $20,000. That’s about $100 per person over the course of three years. The Leadership Board fully believes we can do this and we can do it in a couple of years.

This congregation has a heart for mission. In 2012 we gave more than $20,000 for mission. That is fantastic! To help meet this new challenge, we are going to begin with a special “Sunday to Save Lives” offering on Easter. March 31 is a 5th Sunday when we normally receive a special mission offering. Our offering on Easter Sunday will support Imagine No Malaria.

Furthermore, the Leadership Board will soon recommend that we sell about 1.8 acres of the Blairs Ferry Land so a road can be built to provide access for the development of a large neighborhood immediately to the west and north of Salem’s property. Initially, the Leadership Board was not interested in losing any of the property but then began thinking in a more missional way. Without the road, the new neighborhood would not likely be built. By giving up the space and allowing the road to be built, the hope is to allow the creation of a neighborhood and therefore many new people to reach out to right where the land is located. If the congregation approves this, the Leadership Board will also recommend that we tithe the money from the sale of the land (about $5,400) towards Imagine No Malaria, providing an excellent start to our giving and the saving of 2000 lives.

Deuteronomy 15:7-8, NRSV says, “If there is among you anyone in need . . . do not be hard-hearted or tight-fisted toward your needy neighbor. You should rather open your hand, willingly lending enough to meet the need, whatever it may be.” We can do this! Will you help?