The Evangelical Covenant Church has responded through this year’s Children’s Service Project (2009-2010), a program that incorporates a series of offerings earmarked for malaria relief and a booklet containing 24 stories of children in Congo who have benefited from the Congo church’s efforts to stop the spread of this disease.
Malaria is contracted when an individual is bitten by an infected mosquito. Bed nets help prevent mosquito bites during the night, resulting in a reduction in the incidence of malaria in children. Unfortunately, most children do not have a bed net.
The good news is that malaria is preventable – and curable. However, it can prove fatal if not treated promptly with effective medicines.
“We can help prevent children from becoming infected with this disease in the first place,” notes a service project spokesperson.
“The Congo Covenant Church is active in helping stop the spread of malaria in children and has invited us to join in the fight. This year children in Covenant churches across North America can once again help make a difference in the lives of children in need. Their offerings will go toward providing children in Congo with a protective bed net to keep them safe from infected mosquitoes.”
The program is designed to extend over a 24-week period, with a story read and an offering received each week. However, the program can be easily adapted to meet individual church needs. A packet containing explanatory material, a poster and the booklet was mailed to each Covenant church. Click here to obtain more information from the service project website.
“Before taking your offering each week with the children, please read one of the stories as a reminder of who will be receiving their gifts,” the introductory material states. “In this way, children will connect with a bigger picture of God’s kingdom as they give.
“We already know children can reflect Christ’s love to others and can make a difference through their giving and their prayers,” the spokesperson emphasizes. “Thank you for joining us this year in helping the children in Congo.”
