|
|  |
| Quick Facts: |
| • | 11,600 community health volunteers |
| • | 2.3 million nets distributed |
| • | 300 health facilities |
| • | 13 health boards in 16 countries |
| • | Death rate from malaria cut in half |
| • | $63MM raised towards a $75MM goal |
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
| Celebration 'Sundae' |
The Rev. Richard Füss, pastor of Newman United Methodist Church in Grants Pass, Ore., said if the congregation raised $1,000 for Imagine No Malaria, the congregation could elect a member of the Mission Ministry Team to be a human sundae and if they gave $1,200, he would be one, too. Then he volunteered his wife to join in.
The grand total raised was $1,965 - almost $800 over the church's goal - and the congregation broke out the ice cream and chocolate syrup. |
| READ MORE ► | Celebration “Sundae” | JULIA FRISBIE | Last month, the Newman UMC congregation in Grants Pass, Oregon celebrated their Imagine No Malaria donations with a human sundae. Babs Eggleston explains: |
| “Our Mission Ministry Team sat down and pondered what we could do to encourage donations for INM. We finally decided to have a Celebration Sundae as the culmination of our campaign, which lasted three Sundays. The pastor said that if donations exceeded $1,000, he would be a a human sundae. Then he changed his mind. He said if we reached $1,000 the congregation could elect a lay person – from the Mission Ministry Team – to be a sundae and if we gave $1200, he would be the sundae. Then he volunteered his wife to be desecrated as well.” |
| For three weeks, Imagine No Malaria was lifted up during worship services. Posters were displayed all over. The congregation voted on which Mission Ministry Team member should become a sundae. “They gave the most votes to the chair of our MMT, David Wood,” says Babs. “I did some campaigning for him as I didn’t think I deserved the honor.” On July 21st, the third and final week, an offering was collected and the total was announced: $1965. Newman UMC, in their eagerness, overshot their goal by $765. |
| After worship, the congregation gathered outside for a picnic with hot dogs, potato chips, watermelon, and all the makings for ice cream sundaes. The Endowments Committee paid for the food– including the extra sundae supplies. Then the pastor, his wife, and David Wood from the Mission Ministry Team sat down in a blue kiddie pool to become sundaes. |
| Praise God for a creative Mission Ministry Team, a generous congregation, a pastor who drives a hard bargain, and his long-suffering wife! |
|
|
|
|
 | |
| How's the weather up there? |
| The Rev. Faith Weedling spent 38 hours on the roof of Brosville United Methodist Church after her congregation and members of Wesley Chapel and Rock Springs UMC raised $3,800 for Imagine No Malaria. She had promised to spend one hour on the church roof for every $100 her church raised for Imagine No Malaria. |
| READ THE STORY ► | Faith on the roof: Pastor finds unique way to raise funds to fight malaria | NEILL CALDWELL
BROSVILLE, Va. - Through storms and wet and dark of night, the Rev. Faith Weedling kept her promise to spend one hour on the church roof for every $100 her church raised for Imagine No Malaria. She expected to be there “a few” hours.
Only “a few” became 38, thanks to the generosity of her church folks at Brosville UMC
and those at the two-point charge that her husband, the Rev. Steve Weedling, pastors. The churches raised $3,800 for Imagine No Malaria, The United Methodist Church’s effort to eliminate the disease that kills a person every minute around the world.
And the “roof” became a sturdy railed platform reached by a long staircase/ladder, with a backyard recliner, tent and all the supplies she needed. Still, when the lightning started crackling on Saturday evening, Weedling considered the better part of valor and came inside for a time, joining the big church-wide supper that had also moved inside to the church fellowship hall because of the weather.
Weedling had to start her stunt at 8:30 p.m. on Friday in order to be able to finish at noon on Sunday, or the close of the weekly worship service, which she conducted from her rooftop perch.
By the time Sunday morning worship was held it was bright and sunny, and a crowd filled the chairs set out across the lawn and parking lot. Weedling preached her weekly sermon from her rooftop perch, and Danville District Superintendent the Rev. Janine Howard led the Great Thanksgiving over Holy Communion. 
“One man was able to attend for the first time in quite a while because (worship) was outdoors,” said Howard. “His wife brought him and they parked the car close enough to the action to allow participation in everything. We took him communion ‘curbside.’”
“Faith was a trooper, though, until the end,” said Maria Maxwell, Virginia Conference field coordinator for Imagine No Malaria. “She offered her Sunday message from the rooftop and, I believe, inspired a community in the process. Faith is a blessing beyond measure! God's calling on her to support Imagine No Malaria not only encouraged her faith, but the faith of those she serves and ministers to on a daily basis. 'Thank you' seems so small for the effort and excitement they all poured into this awesome cause for the sake of many in Sub-Saharan Africa.”
“Brosville UMC and Faith’s husband's churches, Wesley Chapel and Rock Springs, could not have been more welcoming to the conference staff and families that attended the dinner held Saturday night in honor of the event,” Maxwell added. 
Truck and traffic sounds from nearby Highway 58 kept Weedling awake during the nights, but she continued to post on Facebook: “Sounds from the Brosville UMC roof: 2:30 a.m. - hoot owl; 3:30 a.m. - dogs barking; 4:30 a.m. - rooster crowing.” … “What do you do at 3:15 when you're on a roof and wide awake? - pray, of course! … Prayed for many drivers who went up and down 58 during the night. Tonight I may rethink the ear plug suggestion."
The whole thing was a big event for this small Pittsylvania County community located between Martinsville and Danville, just above the Virginia-North Carolina state line.
“These three churches have really rallied around her,” said Pastor Steve Weedling. “It’s lit a fire under them.”
“There’s also been a lot of publicity around the community,” added Faith Weedling. “We’ve had people who only occasionally visited our church who have been really involved in this. In fact they’ve said ‘I don’t do church, but would be glad to be involved in stuff like this.’”
“Brosville has seen a steady decline in membership,” she added. “But partnership is my thing, it’s where the church is at our best. The church is at its worst when it’s thinking about any decline.”
“The focus has changed from ‘we can’t do that’ to ‘let’s do that!’” Steve added. “For example, my two churches have done a Stop Hunger Now meal packing event for two years in a row by inviting other churches to partner with us. So now it’s become a thing we do. People ask me about when are we going to invite those other churches.”
It really was a ‘happening.” Some church and community members came with tents to also camp out on the parking lot.
Brosville UMC member Jackie Minter set Weedling’s adventure to music, sung to the tune of “The Camptown Races”:
Pastor Faith is on the roof,
Praise God, praise God!
Need some nets, mosquito proof,
Praise the Lord all day.
Pastor’s on the roof, pastor’s on the roof.
We give our money to buy some nets,
God will do the rest!
 The cardboard cutout of Bishop Young Jin Cho first unveiled at Annual Conference was also on hand.
“We’ve had fun moving ‘Bishop Cho’ around the district,” said Steve Weedling. “It’s so lifelike, people forget he’s there and they get surprised. One day (our DS) Janine (Howard) asked me where the ‘Bishop’ was and I said we were storing him in our den, and we had to keep the door closed because we were afraid our little dog would go in and pee on him. ... And that got some strange looks from the church members who overheard us.”
Did Weedling learn any lessons from this experience?
“As tired as I am now, I’d say the lesson is not to come up with these kinds of ideas,” said Weedling. “But it’s been good. We’ve raised a lot of money and, hopefully, this will lead other pastors on the district to do crazy things to get involved.”
-Neill Caldwell is editor of the Virginia United Methodist Advocate magazine.
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| Featured Resource: |
Faith in Action:
A video collection |
|
|
|
|
 | |
Arlindo Romao:
He's learned from experience |
| When I learned about the cycle of malaria and mosquitoes of malaria, I realized that it is possible to fight malaria in a simple way," Arlindo said. "If all people in a community could become conscious of the role they each have in preventing mosquito bites and stopping their reproduction, we can overcome this problem." |
| READ ABOUT ARLINDO'S EXPERIENCE ► | A Life-Saving Instrument: The Importance of Malaria Training | SUSAN PASSI-KLAUS
It's memories from his childhood that have inspired Arlindo Romao to do the lifesaving work he does today. As Imagine No Malaria's Healthcare Coordinator in Mozambique, he remembers two diseases that haunted him when he was young--Malaria and diarrhea. By the time he was 14 years old, his bouts with malaria continued, as did malaria cases within his own family. Every 3-5 months, someone he cared about struggled with the life-threatening illness. And then, in 2007, his life, as well as his family's, was changed when they decided to use insecticide treated mosquito nets. By then he was the father of four sons--of which only one got malaria...once.
"When I learned about the cycle of malaria and mosquitoes of malaria, I realized that it is possible to fight malaria in a simple way," Arlindo said. "If all people in a community could become conscious of the role they each have in preventing mosquito bites and stopping their reproduction, we can overcome this problem."
Community health information is essential, Arlindo explains. He is passionate about teaching malaria prevention in every village he visits.
"I remember how people in different communities were surprised when we proved that mosquitoes were multiplying in their pots of drinking water," he said. "We took Larvae of mosquitoes, put them in a glass and then covered it with a mosquito net. After 5-6 days we saw mosquitoes in the glass.
Since working with Imagine No Malaria, I have learned how to implement malaria prevention programs. It's because of the training and INM funding that families in Mozambique are being saved from malaria. God has blessed me because I feel that I'm one of those being the instruments of saving people's lives through this program. Rev. Arlindo Romao
 |
| Community Education in Teles about mosquitos of malaria. |
 |
| Imagine No Malaria training in Ghana. |
 |
| Identifying sanitation factors for mosquitoes reproduction in Nhabanda community. |
 |
| Showing the final stage of mosquito reproduction. |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
 | |
| Another life changed...Gracie Davis |
| Gracie Davis, age 11, loves to play drums, ride horses and play with her American Girl dolls. She also loves to sing, especially her favorite hymn, "Whom Shall I Fear?" recite Revelations 15:4 and talk about Jesus. |
| READ GRACIE'S STORY ► | Another Life Changed: Gracie Davis | SUSAN PASSI-KLAUS
 SHE JUST WANTS TO SPREAD THE WORD
Lord, who will not fear and glorify your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship before you, for your judgements have been revealed. Revelations 15:4
Gracie Davis loves to play drums, ride horses and play with her American Girl dolls. She also loves to sing, especially her favorite hymn, “Whom Shall I Fear?” recite Revelations 15:4 and talk about Jesus.
But what she especially loves is spreading the Word. One of the ways she has done that is by raising money for Imagine No Malaria.
“Imagine No Malaria has changed my whole view of life,” Gracie said. It made me realize that everybody else is not just like me. Not everybody has a nice warm bed or even a house.”
The 11 year-old that attends Leipsic United Methodist Church, credits Miss Donna (Donna Gallaway,) churches volunteer, for inspiring her to help people in Africa combat the killer disease.
Gracie admitted that at first she was shocked to learn that mosquitoes could kill people.
“I puff up and get a little red and itchy when I get bitten by a mosquito,” she said. “When I imagine that kids get killed by this, it opens my eyes and I see how very different it is for other people.”
With encouragement from her parents and teacher, she decided to ask her church buddies and fellow 4th graders at school for help.
“ I talked to my class and told them what Miss Donna told me at church,” she said. “I was so amazed to see their reactions. To see a girl cry because of what I said made me really feel like I had to help.”
Her classmates chipped in and one of her friends’ even gave-up tooth fairy money to help buy a net. After raiding piggy banks for contributions and digging for loose change in sofa’s and chairs, the tally was $130, which later grew to $205.
“I don’t want to get all the credit,” she said. “Without my friends, we wouldn’t have been able to buy all those nets.”
Last June, at West Ohio’s Annual Conference, Gracie was invited to the stage to help Bishop Gregory Palmer hold a bed net used to collect offerings from local churches.
“Interacting with everybody at Annual Conference made me feel happy,” she said. “I met a woman from the Congo who told me she had malaria 10 times. She thanked me and it felt so great knowing I was helping many, many like her.”
Another highlight of the conference gathering was dancing as donations poured into the net.
“The praise band played the song, “Happy,” giggled Gracie. “Bishop Palmer just started dancing, so I did too! How many people can say they danced with the Bishop?”
Gracie is not finished with spreading the Word. She said that what keeps her going is “that feeling of being warm and fuzzy inside…that feeling of knowing you did just what Jesus wanted you to do.”
“My goal is for people to see God through me.”
Many, many youth and children from Vacation Bible School in the West Ohio Conference are joining Gracie in passing along bed net blessings to those who cope daily with fear and sadness caused by Malaria. To read more stories like Gracie’s, please visit and share the Imagine No Malaria webpage at www.inmohio.org.
|
|
|
|
|
 | |
| Austin Eaton Named Outstanding Philanthropist |
| Austin Eaton from the Aptos UMC has been named the Outstanding Philanthropic Youth of the Year for the Central Coast. He will be honored along with five other philanthropic organizations and individuals at the 23rd Annual National Philanthropy Day Awards Luncheon on November 21 at the Inn at Spanish Bay. Eaton was nominated by York School for his work for Imagine No Malaria. This is his second nomination for the award and the first time he has won it. |
| READ MORE ► | Aptos UMC Teen Receives Philanthropy Award for Imagine No Malaria Efforts | CALIFORNIA-NEVADA ANNUAL CONFERENCE | Austin Eaton from the Aptos UMC has been named the Outstanding Philanthropic Youth of the Year for the Central Coast. He will be honored along with five other philanthropic organizations and individuals at the 23rd Annual National Philanthropy Day Awards Luncheon on November 21 at the Inn at Spanish Bay. Eaton was nominated by York School for his work for Imagine No Malaria. This is his second nomination for the award and the first time he has won it. | | Presented by the Association of Fundraising Professionals, National Philanthropy Day “provides an opportunity to reflect on the meaning of giving and all that it has made possible...At our annual National Philanthropy Day celebration we will honor local people and organizations for their generous support and exemplary contributions to nonprofit agencies throughout Monterey and Santa Cruz counties...Our award recipients set the standard for community involvement. Their active involvement demonstrates that they are truly responsible members of our community; active in making our community stronger. | Their participation demonstrates a deep respect of all the varied people, beings, and our environment that encompass Monterey and Santa Cruz counties.” | | Over the past three years, Eaton has delivered sermons, organized luncheons, concerts, and special church offerings that have raised $8,717 for Imagine No Malaria. What began as a service learning project for school has evolved into a serious undertaking for the high school senior. He owes a debt of gratitude to the Missions Team for asking him to take a leadership role in the fundraising effort when he was in ninth grade and putting their wholehearted faith, support, and enthusiasm behind him. | | Eaton looks forward to continuing fundraising for Imagine No Malaria and the tragic Ebola outbreak in Africa only serves to strengthen his resolve to help those in crisis. The connection is clear. Imagine No Malaria’s goal of creating healthy communities with strong and lasting health systems is key to eradicating Malaria as well as Ebola and other diseases. |
| On a personal note Eaton says, “I’ve learned as much as I can about Malaria without having visited Africa, and seeing the progress of Imagine No Malaria in eradicating the disease during the three years I’ve been fundraising has enlightened me to the power of our church missions.” |
|
|
|
|
 Photo by Kathleen Barry, UMNS |
| |
| Featured Scripture: |
| "Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen." (Ephesians 3:20-21) |
| |
|
|
|
|
No comments:
Post a Comment