We have been so honored to help a local family in our community through ize-T, and now we are shifting our efforts a bit.
Matt and I have both recently read The Hole in Our Gospel, by Rich Stearns. Mr. Stearns is currently leading World Vision, which is truly a remarkable organization that is assisting and saving the lives of children all over the world.
Mr. Stearns' story is inspiring, but more so, the statistics he presents in The Hole in Our Gospel are gut-wrenching and eye-opening. I could list them all here, but instead, I encourage you to read the book. Find it, buy it, download it, borrow it.
The book definitely changed the way me and Matt think about the money that we spend and the money that we give. Let's face it, something that hits "close to home" gets the money we have to give. Something that hits "close to home" gets the press and attention. All of those things that happen "over there" aren't our concern. Right?
( Please don't take what I am going to say next in the wrong way. My father died from cancer when he was barely sixty years old, and if there was any amount of money that could have saved his life, of course, it would have been worth it. I do not wish the suffering he went through on anyone, and I do not want one more family to have to grieve the loss of one of its members because of cancer. We, the Whites, contribute to the fundraising of cancer research every year in a myriad of ways. Hear me out. )
Matt and I were discussing how many millions, if not billions, of dollars are raised every year in the fight against cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, approximately 40,000 women die from breast cancer annually. Tonight, according to World Vision, two-thousand children will die tonight from mosquito bites because of the malaria those mosquitos carry.
Do the math.
Malaria was eliminated in the United States in 1950. Since then, 41 million people have died from malaria around the world – more than the deaths from all wars (20 million), more than AIDS (25 million). 250 million people become infected each year, and more than 85 percent of malaria deaths are children under the age of FIVE!
It isn't an 'us' or 'them', 'this' or 'that', kind of situation, thankfully. However, statistics like that have made us change our course at ize-T.
We are still selling the awesome Tshirts that our talented three children designed for both boys and girls. (Make note that pricing has changed on the shirts... for the better!)
And, where exactly does this money go?
Ize-T is helping to end malaria deaths by donating one insecticide treated bed net for every t-shirt sold.
The ACT:S to End Malaria campaign of World Vision has a goal of ending malaria deaths by 2015, and it is time we do our part.
To order a tshirt and help us to end malaria by 2015, click here.
To find out more about act:s to end malaria, click here.
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