LATEST NEWS FROM BRETT RE: MALI MISSION THIS SEPTEMBER........ "St. James, we have loved being able to give out mosquito nets this year! In order to have the most impact we decided to give them out to all patients that had a positive lab test for malaria at our hospital so that these nets would help prevent them from getting malaria again which could be fatal. This is why most of the children aren't smiling in the photos as they don't feel very good with malaria. The one girl with the big smile is one of our juvenile diabetic kids that we buy insulin and syringes for out of our work fund. We gave our chronic patients nets as well since they would be at risk for severe malaria. Also, if you are interested, Sheri has started a new blog featuring stories and pictures of our hospital patients especially those with cancer. Feel free to check it out at koutialakids.blogspot.com. Thanks for making it possible for us to buy all these nets!" Brett See photos on the bulletin board outside the Parish Hall NETS FOR LIFE This year the proceeds from our NETS FOR LIFE will be sent to the Koutiala Hospital for Women and Children. Malaria is caused by a parasite transmitted through the bite of an infected mosquito found in many parts of the world expecially in sub-Suharan Africa. Every day, nearly 2,000 children under the age of 5 die from malaria and nearly 1 million people die each year. There are 250 million cases each year. On addition to preventing malaria the first time, Dr. Brett MacLean hopes to send a net home with each child treated for malaria during this season, which last 6 months and will decrease their chances of getting another attack before the season ends in November. Help save a life. Make a donations to NETS FOR LIFE. A simple defense with your help is only $ 5.00. That will buy one insecticide-treated net that will protect a child from this preventable disease. Perhaps you can give one net per family member! Over a period of tine, if enough nets are in place, malaria itself will die out because in order for the disease to spread, mosquitoes need human blood. Please make checks out to "St. James" with a notation on lower left corner of your check "Mosquito Net" to this life saving outreach. The Vacation Bible School kids worked along with the Outreach Committee toward exceeding our last year's goals. To date - Thanks to the generousity of St. James School, Vacation Bible School and St. James Church, so far we have raised $ 2670.00. GIVE A NET, SAVE A LIFE Thank you! TO SHARE BRETT AND SHERI'S EMAIL TO FATHER HARRIS DATED 6/9/11: Thank you so much for the donations of mosquito nets! I was able to find good quality nets that were treated with long lasting insecticide which thus decreases the entire mosquito population in the area near the net for years to come. I decided to start with our hospital workers first to protect them and their children and to encourage them before our busy malaria season gets going and they work very hard. Our Mailian hospital chaplain who used to be the presdient of the national church and thus is very educated took the photos below in gallery as this first set was being given out to workers. Next over the following two months I will be giving out the rest that you have provided first to our highest rish patients (sickle cell, childhood diabetes, malnutrition or childhood cancer), then to our patients with severe malaria to prevent a second potentially fatal episode. The last words in his email are from his family Dogon language (not the more common Bambara or the educated French) saying "God bless you" I echo his words, May God bless you for your generosity! Peace, Brett