PRESIDENT'S COLUMN:

Drawing Inspiration from Children

Sometimes, we just need to act more like our children. 

Children like Andrew Jelson, a 12-year-old from the small town of Sealy, Texas. Thanks to his leadership, St. John’s Episcopal became the first church in the Diocese of Texas to donate more than one net per family to save the lives of children in sub-Saharan Africa. St. John’s has 41 families and Andrew was able to raise $552, enough to fund 46 nets, each of which will save lives.

For Andrew, this was personal. His mother was born in Zambia and his grandfather had contracted malaria while living in Africa in the 1960s. But it was also about inspiration — about mobilizing his fellow congregants to put their faith into action more fully. He spoke passionately from the pulpit, sent emails and collected the funds on two Sundays.

Andrew did much more than earn his Boy Scout “God and Church” award. He set a powerful example for every diocese, church and parishioner about how, together, we can meet the NetsforLife® Inspiration Fund’s goal of raising $5 million by the end of 2012.

So did Deirdre and Brenna, the two young lemonade-selling sisters at St. Mary’s Church in Barnstable, Massachusetts, whom you’ll read about in this issue of Seek & Serve.

Following in their footsteps and working to achieve the Inspiration Fund’s goal is critical to advancing Episcopal Relief & Development’s mission to heal a hurting world.

NetsforLife® has passed the test of experience, proving itself to be perhaps the single most cost-effective strategy for saving children from the scourge of malaria. Plus, it has many other positive impacts because it’s built on a foundation of empowering and uniting communities to come together to distribute the nets, install them, and create a culture of net usage. This unique combination — saving lives, improving health, increasing school attendance, and building communities — unleashes the enormous untapped economic and personal potential of people who have, until now, been locked out of the abundant life.

NetsforLife® is currently on target to distribute seven million nets as part of Phase Two, but that’s not cause for complacency. Rather, it should spur us to redouble our efforts to achieve NetsforLife® Inspiration Fund’s goals, because we know that millions more children will be reached and protected as a result. In doing so, all of us should seek to emulate children like Andrew, Deirdre and Brenna as we fulfill our Baptismal Covenant.

To learn more about how to join us in the fight against malaria visit www.inspirationfund.org.