10/05/2011

Malaria Campaign Update: Lives Are Being Saved, but Much Work is Still Needed

Since early 2010, the Southern Ohio Synod has been a pilot synod in a malaria fighting ministry, which one year ago became the ELCA Malaria Campaign.

By the May 2011 SOS Assembly, about 50 congregations, the LYO, WELCA Conferences and the Lutheran Men in Mission had participated in activities and events designed to increase awareness about malaria, educate about this disease of poverty, and raise monies to eliminate malaria deaths by 2015. As of June 2011, over $41,000 has been raised and sent to the campaign via the Southern Ohio Synod. We know much more has been sent directly to the national office or donated on-line.

In August 2011 at the ELCA Churchwide Assembly in Orlando, the assembly voted overwhelmingly to adopt the ELCA Malaria Campaign, with a goal of raising $15 million over the next four years, to work with our partner churches in Africa for a malaria death-free future. In addition, 352 voting members pledged a total of $242,000 to the campaign.

"Throughout our life as the ELCA, we have focused our work with our global partners around the concept of accompaniment, our relationships with companion churches all over the world," said the Rev. Andrea DeGroot-Nesdahl as she introduced the campaign to voting members. DeGroot-Nesdahl is the campaign's coordinator.

"Poverty, hunger, disease—they all go together, so we find malaria more prevalent where poverty and hunger are evident. That's where our relationship can make a difference. We stand beside (and partner with) those who suffer with malaria, those who are hungry, (and) those who live in poverty," she said.

The ELCA Malaria Campaign is under the auspices of ELCA World Hunger. The Malaria Campaign goals are in addition to, not in place of the World Hunger goals.

The SOS Hunger Task Force has been spearheading the Malaria Campaign efforts the past two years. Pastor Joene Herr, Task Force member and Pilot Synod Coordinator, thanks all the Southern Ohio Synod congregations and organizations that participated. “Your ideas, your materials, your events all contributed to the effort culminating in the August vote. The Task Force and I hope SOS congregations and affiliated organizations continue to support the ELCA Malaria Campaign with your prayers, special events and fundraising efforts.”

Updated printed resources, donation envelopes and a new five-minute video are available at www.elca.org/malaria. If your congregation hasn’t as of yet participated in the ELCA Malaria Campaign, please prayerfully consider doing so. If your congregation has sponsored events or raised monies, please consider going a second mile for this life saving ministry.

(Update provided by Pr. Joene Herr, Southern Ohio Synod Malaria Campaign Coordinator.)