ASAM/Mocumbezi, Mozambique

“I am asking for prayer for my daughter. She has malaria.”

“I am asking for prayer for my son. He has malaria.”

“Please pray for my family; my wife and son have malaria.”

Every morning, all of the staff at ASAM gather for a time of worship and prayer before the workday begins. When asked what to pray for, often three or more fathers request prayer for their family members with malaria.

This is Prosper Fernando. He is the lead mechanic at ASAM Ministry, and his shirt perfectly sums up the attitude of all of the staff members towards mosquitoes. It only takes one bite from one malaria-infected mosquito to have a devastating, often life-threatening effect, especially for young children.

Although medication is available, there is rarely sufficient supply for the demand and most are left untreated to fight malaria on their own. This can mean two weeks or more of high fevers, explosive headaches, and uncontrollable vomiting and diarrhoea. Compounded by the lack of treatment and preventative measures, malaria has become the leading cause of death for children in Africa, resulting in one death every thirty seconds.

To combat this problem, Mercy Air is embarking on a drive to raise funds for mosquito nets to be delivered to ASAM for the local community. Mosquito nets may not be able to heal those who are already sick, but they are highly effective in long term prevention of the disease. According to UNICEF, “the use of bed-nets can reduce malaria illness by fifty percent… yet fewer than five percent of African children sleep under a net.” Join with Mercy Air to reduce the widespread affect of malaria in Mocumbezi, Mozambique.

Thank you.

The Mercy Air team.