This spring Margy Zabriskie, ERD Diocesan Coordinator in Vermont, made a parish visit to St James Episcopal Church where she displayed an actual long-lasting treated net and a scaled bed model complete with net.  Below is a story shared by parishioner and mother, Cathy Clark:

I knew Margy’s plea had hit home on Monday.  In church the day before we had learned about the efforts of the Episcopal community to supply insecticide-coated mosquito nets to some of the neediest parts of Africa in order to prevent malaria.  In her presentation to our family-centered service, Margy explained that while much of the world had eradicated malaria, it still killed many children and pregnant women each day on that continent.  She presented a small model of a room completely enclosed by mosquito netting to show how the nets could keep the bugs and virus at bay.  As Mother’s Day was the next weekend, wouldn’t it be a wonderful gesture to donate $12 for the cost of a net in order to protect these children and their mothers?  It was a thoughtful and inspiring plea, but after sitting through half a service I’m not always sure what is going on in my kids’ heads.  And while they did seem intrigued by the small netted room in the model, their attention soon turned to re-arranging all the hymnals and prayer books in our pew.  It certainly didn’t appear that any message was getting through.

Yet, here was our six year old, Finn, on Monday wondering aloud how we could get these African families a net.  I reminded him that he had a small ziplock baggie of change as a result of the tooth fairy’s four visits this winter.  Finn thought about that, but was quick to point out that while he did have several quarters, there was most likely not fifteen dollars in there.  I suggested that since there were four people in our family, perhaps he could pay one-fourth of the cost.  That solution seemed to satisfy him and $3 was set aside in a separate baggie for his portion of the net. 

A minor crisis then arose when Finn realized that three year old Charlie didn’t have any change since he still had all of his baby teeth.  How would he be able to pay for his share of the net’s cost?  Without hesitation Finn offered, “Well, I guess I could give Charlie $3 and then he would be able to pay, too.”  This from a kid who had spent only 25 cents of his “earnings” and that was for a really cool gumball.  He wasn’t spending that money on anything until he knew for sure that it was something very special.  Not to mention the fact that he trounces his brother on an hourly basis throughout the week.  And when I usually ask him what he thought of the sermon at church I get a, “What sermon?” response. 

It may have been Margy’s model or just the idea of a bunch of insects that got his attention.  But I believe it was something more than that.  I believe God got through.  Finn may not comprehend all the Bible references he’s heard and he may not be able to grasp the meaning behind the parables, but he got this.  He understood the obligation we have to help each other in this world.  And he realized that if you have the power to make a change for the better then you do it.  There are a few things I can take credit for as a parent, but this gesture is not one of them.  This was a reflection of God’s love.  Nothing more, nothing less.  And that is a beautiful thing.