imagine no malaria

from my sermon on 11/15/09 from Ephesians 3:14-21

Imagine no malaria. I am so glad that the UMC didn't call it, Work Harder to Overcome Malaria, or Wrestle with the Problem of Malaria, or Worry over the Disease of Malaria. Big problems don't require more hard work or wrestling or worry. The require imagination, creativity, turning to God. And this problem is big--5oo million people are affected by the disease of malaria each year. One million die from it, most of them in the sub-Saharan region of Africa, many of them children under 5 and pregnant women.
The UMC wants to rid the continent of Africa of malaria by 2015. It is ridiculous, impossible, except for the word "imagine." I love this passage of scripture because it is chockful of words like power, might, energy. I love the ending benediction, "Now unto him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen."
I actually read commentaries to prepare for these sermons. Often they are dry and boring. But this past week, one of them said about this scripture, "In spite of mixed metaphors and hyperbolic language, this passage is designed with a practical end in mind, i.e., that God's power my be seen at work within the church in which God's fullness dwells by presence of Christ and His Spirit." The only way we can address this huge issue of malaria is through imagination, Christ's power flowing through us.
In 2008 the UMC set a global health initiative of Imagine No Malaria. They had partners with the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation, the NBA with the Nothing But Nets Campaign, UN Fund, and other global partners like the Red Cross and Red Crescent. The UMC was given the lead to combat malaria in Africa because we have credibility, we have built relationships, we have the infrastructure. We can go places the government can't. We will give out bednets to Moslems without forcing them to convert to Christianity. We see all as our brothers and sisters. We have health care workers and clinics, we are developing communication systems, we are training people in the use of bednets and early detection.
The Southwest Texas Conf. of the UMC was offered by our Bishop, Jim Dorff, to take the lead for the denomination. Our Austin District Superintendent, Bobbi Kaye Jones, offered our district to be the guinea pigs. Our church is one of the first in the whole denomination to come up with the plan for Imagine No Malaria. There is no blueprint, no template to follow. We are writing the textbook on how the whole denomination is going to fight malaria.
All we have is our imagination. And you have been imagining. Children bringing coins today in Chinese food take out boxes--change for change! Youth making pledges of $1000 over the next 3 years. At our Bee Cave Barn dance a few weeks ago, we had a bug stomp, where we tried to pop balloons, that raised 100's of dollars. People have taken the spiritual gifts inventory that was incentivized by some anonymous underwriters $10/inventory that netted $540. We have sold these green bracelets for $10. I wore my yesterday to McKinney Falls State Park. One of the rangers helping asked, "What is that green bracelet for?" I said, "The UMC is in a campaign to rid Africa of malaria called Imagine No Malaria." "I didn't any church did anything like that," she said. I felt proud to be a part of this church. And last week you unselfishly ate pizza. You ate at Mangia's $2841 of pizza. That traslated to $284 for Imagine No Malaria. Mangia is giving us coupons that will net us $3000 more. What I love the best is our public witness in all of this. People see the church making a difference in the world.
Now I have a degree in math, but it is from Texas A & M, so I have had to count using a lot of fingers and toes. But I did a little figuring this past week, and it looks like we have already given and pledged about $20,000 from this congregation. Imagine that!
I know many of you will want to add to that today. I know that I have asked you to give a lot. I have set a vision of this church being a 50/50 church where we spend 50% on us and 505 on others. This Imagine No Malaria is part of that vision. I was thinking about how I ask you to give to the ongoing mission of this church and to the capital campaign and wondering if it was too much. But then the thought came to me, I am not supposed to protect you from giving, I am called to stir up your imaginations to what is really important. This is.
One of my best friends in the world is Dr. Dennnis Shanks. He was the best man at our wedding. He was a M.D. in the U.S. army for many years, retiring as a full bird colonel. He is now working for the government of Australia. His disease is malaria. I emailed Dennis this past week asking him for input on malaria. He emailed me back saying that he was actually in the States at his parents' house in Georgia. Dennis and I talked for about 30 minutes Wednesday night. He said that bednets absolutely work. Low technology but great results. He says to target malaria is doable. It is preventable. It is treatable. He say the Gates Foundation targeted malaria not for economic or medical reasons. They did so for moral reasons. It got to them that children could get this disease and die simply as an accident of where they were born.
Aren't we all a part of God's family? Isn' that what the passage says that every family in heaven and on earth takes God's name?
I would like for you to stand and join me in the closing illustration. Take your right hand and go over the top of your head to touch your left ear. You have to be 5 years old in order to do this. I know because I practiced with our pre-school children this past week. In Liberia, children do not get a name until they are 5 years old. Liberia is one of the countries in Africa we are trying to rid of malaria. Until age 5 children are known as "son #1" or "daughter # 3". Too many die before age 5. Extend your right hand over to your left ear. Imagine children reaching age 5. Imagine children getting a name. Imagine No Malaria. Amen.