Every 60 Seconds a Child Dies from Malaria.

This Confirmation Class Is Taking Action Against This Deadly Disease.

This year the confirmation class of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Dingmans Ferry, decided to help their congregation learn about the deadly disease malaria. The 44 youth who make up the class are sixth, seventh, and eighth graders. Kayla Bicskei, the article’s author, is a 13-year-old seventh grader in her second year of the congregation’s three-year confirmation program.

When we heard that every sixty seconds a child dies from Malaria, we had to do something.

The ELCA Malaria Campaign had some great ideas and activities. We decided to learn as much as we could about Malaria and played the ELCA Malaria Jeopardy game. We then ordered the Malaria packet and worked together to create a Mosquito Infestation at our church. We colored over 500 pictures of mosquitoes and put them up everywhere.

Congregational members and friends in the community have been allowed to take down a mosquito for a donation of between $1.00 and $5.00. After we did a skit at worship on Sunday one wonderful man paid $50.00 for one mosquito.

So far we have raised more than $500.00 and we are working to do more. When we collect money, we all wear mosquito net hats on our heads and stand by a mosquito net that is like the ones being delivered to Africa.

We have been sharing the great information from the ELCA Malaria Materials that explains how the money will be used: “The ELCA Malaria Campaign works with partner churches and organizations in Africa to treat and prevent malaria, to educate communities about malaria, and to support sustainable livelihood projects that allow families to stabilize their income and afford adequate health care.”

We are really hoping to stop Malaria from killing kids just like us.