Imagine no Malaria gaining momentum

BY RICHARD B. HEARNE
NTC Board of Laity, Chair

Do you, like me, know people that are totally oblivious and un-concerned about those in this world that suffer from hunger, poverty, disease and other inequities? I have had a hard time understanding how they can enjoy so many benefits and never even think of the plight of others.

Almost two years of serving as the Lay Leader of NTC has given me a real insight as to why people are that way. Prior to being elected to this honored position, I was aware of some of the issues facing the less fortunate and my wife, Candy, and I tried to support what we thought was appropriate over and above our giving to our local church.

However, since I have become Lay Leader I find that more and more worthy and deserving mission and outreach projects are brought to my attention. I know that folks must think that I have some special influence and can get their “cause” some publicity and support. Unfortunately that is not the case but what is happening is that I continue to learn of special needs and it continues to cause me great angst that I am not able to help. I now almost envy those oblivious souls for they don’t realize the needs of the world and can continue to operate in what some might call ignorant bliss.

We can, if we are not careful, fall victim to “compassion fatigue.” On the “heels” of the terrible earthquake in Haiti, the churches in the North Texas Conference are going to be asked if they will support the Imagine No Malaria campaign which is seeking to eradicate malaria from the continent of Africa.

When I mentioned the “compassion fatigue” in the first meeting of the Imagine No Malaria Task Force and how it could impact our efforts my good friend and Superintendent of the Dallas South District, Rev. MiltonGuttierrez mentioned that in his experience (he had family impacted by Katrina) that an effort to eradicate an illness is proactive and energizing as opposed to responding to an natural disaster which is reactive and can be exhausting. This comment helped me correct my thinking and begin this journey to keep over a million children under five years of age alive to enjoy a normal life span.

So your task force is hard at work to make Imagine No Malaria a reality. As has been stated earlier, this is to be a “bubble up” program with the leadership and enthusiasm coming from the congregation. Each organization within the conference will be asked to determine on their own how many lives they wish to save – a donation of $10 saves one life.

This task force made up of folks from every district and different size churches are busy preparing suggested fund raising efforts for use in your churches. Our goal is to provide ideas for all ages that are fun and creative and help us reach a goal of no child suffering from malaria.

As many of you are aware, the Imagine No Malaria (INM) is an extension of the very successful Nothing But Nets (NBN) program. The difference is that NBN is reactive preventive only program while INM has a strategy to prevent, treat, educate and communicate to eliminate malaria.

Many ideas are being prepared to be presented to you. Speaking to our youth will be Troy Alexander, a member of University Park UMC, Dallas, and a Division I basketball player from Santa Clara University. Troy is preparing a DVD urging other youth to join him as a member of “Troy’s Team” to reject malaria.

A puppet ministry is being created for our children’s ministry. Two puppets, Dr. Mal Aria, a physician, and Dr. Nettie Goodwater, a research biologist, will be available throughout the conference to tell the story of how they are working to blot out malaria.

Other ideas for other age groups are also being formulated. For example, the bird hunters at First UMC, Bridgeport, are going to have a “Skeeter Shoot” competition to raise funds. A web site, www.zapmalaria.com, is being created for youth to join Troy’s Team or check on the where-about of Dr. Mal Aria and Dr. Nettie Goodwater and to lift up other suggestions.

One other very valuable tool is available in the person of Maria Brocato, a Field Coordinator for United Methodist Communications. Maria will be working with us for the next three months to assist and implement the many ideas that are being created. She is available, upon request, to assist the local church and may be contacted at the Ministry Center, 972-526-5000, 561-252-5040 or by e-mail: mbrocato@umcom.org.

Hopefully, you have caught a little of the excitement and are wondering what you can do to make the goal of eradication of malaria a reality. Your task force would like to have the name of a person or persons in your local church who might have a passion for this project. This person(s) would become the contact through whom we would rotate all information. As we have said before, we want this to be a “bubble up or grass roots” movement. We hope that many of you will have creative ideas and either call Rev. Judith Reedy, 972-628-1281, e-mail: Judith@fumctc.org, or to me at 214-505-2324, e-mail: rbhearne@sbcglobal.net.

John W. Gardner stated, “We are continually faced with a series of great opportunities brilliantly disguised as insoluble problems.” We have a great opportunity before us and it is a problem that the NTC, along with United Methodists across the world, can solve. Your task force will continue to update you as we make progress – please join us.