(KENYA) Matthew 15:26-32 “A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, ‘Lord, son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is suffering terribly from demon-possession.’” The conversation went on between Jesus and this Canaanite woman was very challenging. For example, Jesus tells this woman in verse 24, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.” And in verse 26, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to their dogs.” Well! Well, if I was that woman, what would I have done? Would I be patient because of my daughter’s sickness or demon possession? Do we see such desperation where we live or work? When you work in communities in Africa, you often come across situations where parents, and in most cases mothers, do not know what to do with their sick children. The motivation in Jesus’ conversation with this woman is in verse 28.
The conversation went on between Jesus and this Canaanite woman was very challenging. For example, Jesus tells this woman in verse 24, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.” And in verse 26, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to their dogs.”
Well! Well, if I was that woman, what would I have done? Would I be patient because of my daughter’s sickness or demon possession? Do we see such desperation where we live or work? When you work in communities in Africa, you often come across situations where parents, and in most cases mothers, do not know what to do with their sick children. The motivation in Jesus’ conversation with this woman is in verse 28.
“Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted,” and from there on we are told that the daughter was healed that very hour.
Healing took place, and I am sure all was well with the woman. What would you do in this woman’s situation as she walks home to find her daughter well? Your daughter has been healed out of a conversation with the Lord Jesus! Jesus never met the daughter, but by His word, the daughter was healed.
I come across many families, especially women, who have similar needs. My child is sick, sleeping in the house. I do not know the problem with him/her. He/she has not been able to go to school for the last two days. Whenever I come across such a family, I request to see the child. In most cases they are sick with malaria. Many of our children in Africa die from malaria. They should not be dying of malaria because the cause is known and there are drugs to cure it.
What then causes children die from malaria? Ignorance about malaria’s origin is the main cause of deaths from it. Another major cause of deaths due to malaria is poverty. “Do I buy food for the children or do I buy drugs for this one child, and let the whole family stay hungry?” This is the question a mother struggles with each day they have a sick child in the house.
I am attending lessons about malaria control taught each week by the CRWRC-trained health workers in our community. If I had known more about malaria earlier, my first two children would not have died.
Malaria is a major killer in Africa, and yet it can be kicked out of homes, villages, and communities here. The biggest challenge to eliminating malaria is educating communities regarding malaria’s causes. Most communities have other beliefs about the cause of malaria. Some think that malaria gets transmitted when a child is out in the rain, and others think it’s when a child eats too much of a certain food. Still others think that witchdoctors cause the deaths of children.
There is no recognized connection between the mosquito and malaria in most communities. The signs and symptoms of malaria are similar to other infections in the early stages, and the need for an early diagnosis and prompt treatment is key to curing anyone who is suffering from malaria. Where are the labs? And who can afford the cost of travel to the nearest lab services? Access to labs also becomes a challenge.
Mama Akotch is an example that we can learn from. Here is her story.
“For many years I blamed the death of my two children on witchdoctors. Now, after attending lessons about malaria control taught each week by the CRWRC-trained health workers in our community, I have taken my other children to the clinic for malaria treatment. If I had known more about malaria earlier, my first two children would not have died. I wish I had known.
“Now I am going to make sure that I keep my compound clean and free of empty cans and bottles, and cut down all of the bushes around the house where mosquitoes can breed. I have a mosquito net that was given to me during the training, and I bought two more. My children and my husband no longer have to go to the clinic because I have managed to control malaria in my family.
“I also teach my neighbors because if I do not, mosquitoes from their compounds will come to my compound and infect me. I know that when my children visit their friends’ homes, they can also get infected. So it is my responsibility to teach the women in my community. I know the community health workers teach us, but I meet many more women than they can reach when I fetch water at the well.
“I used to take my children to the clinic all the time, but now I can count how many times each one of them has been to the clinic. We can eradicate malaria in our village. Thanks to CRWRC for the lessons and nets and for encouraging us to buy our own nets. Our children have been dying of malaria but now it can be something of the past.”
Mama Akotch is a woman who has learned the hard way how to fight malaria. She now believes that diseases can be controlled. She no longer believes in witchdoctors. She has become a Christian and believes that she is able to be used by God to reach out to other families.
Thank you to my supporting churches for the contributions you make that enable us reach out to many families like these. Mama Akotch is just one of the hundreds of people we reach in many ways. CRWRC’s trained community health workers receive five days of training to learn how to teach families like Mama Akotch’s to control mosquitoes and reduce the infections in the villages. The health workers learn practical teaching and health techniques for controlling the spread of malaria. Training twenty community workers and providing a net that is treated with a chemical that kills mosquitoes costs US$1000. In a community of 50 households, this is an average of $20 per family. Thanks for your continued giving, even in the hard times, to support the work in communities like these.
Blessings,
Davis Omanyo
Team Leader
World Renew Uganda