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Loving like Jesus

Today the humble school is featured at the living like Jesus table :-D

Christmas Cake Pops

While I am waiting for the embassy/ consulate CRAZINESS I am still raising money to pay for the computers to be physically sent to Mukono

Packages include a box; individual pops will be sold ONLY IF available and ONLY in person.

10-> $20 (one flavor)

20-> $36 (one flavor or add $3 for two)

30-> $53 (two flavors or add $3 for three)

40-> $65 (three flavors or add $ for four)

50-> $80 (Five flavors subtract 5 for 3 or less)

Flavors

Strawberry

Chocolate Strawberry

Vanilla

Chocolate

Spice

Mint Chocolate

Chocolate Peanut butter available but only for a single flavor order of 20 or more.

Boxes (5 pops in each box)

1 box -> $10

2 boxes -> $15

3 boxes -> $20

each additional box after 3 add $5

Due to high demand boxes will contain an assortment of flavors and designs.

If you would like to choose box flavors you may choose 2 (two) for an additional $2 PER BOX

There will be no design substitution.

**I will try to honor box design requests but cannot guarantee box design**

I can ship orders of two boxes or more and 20 pops or more FOR an additional cost.  Please contact me if you are interested shipping pops.

If interested in ordering please e-mail me at jmnova02uky@gmail.com OR message me on facebook. Once I have received your request I will send you an invoice.  PLEASE NOTE I will not begin an order until you have paid.

I read and let me be CRAZY honest……. The peace corps esque book I just finished was PHENOMENAL!  I am an avid reader, and THAT may be an understatement. However this is the best nonfiction book I have read in years! Eve Brown-Waite is an amazing story teller. I laughed, I cried, and when the book was over I felt like I had lost a great love because the book was over, and THAT is a feeling I have missed over the pass few years. I could not put this book down. This is not only a great depiction of the peace corps (because not all volunteers can finish) and and even greater story of love, hope and service. Peace Corps or not I think that this is a MUST read! The Waite's were in Uganda for the three years prior to the invasion of the LRA and the Civil War that followed

I am so grateful for the brave men and women who leave their loving homes to fight near and far for my freedom to be annoyed! Don’t forget those who served past and present

Its been a while

I am still the worst blogger on the planet! But this time I have a legitimate reason....So we have the computers that have been donated by the USCG....but now we are running into issues with customs and making sure we can get the computers out of the airport in Entebbe, without losing any of them or having to pay a ton of money in bribes. So I will continue working on that and update as more information becomes avaliable.

 

Where would you wake up?

I would want to wake up at the Humble school :-) rid of all of my student loans so I could stay as long as I wanted to and get the chance to see all of the wonderful children there go on the secondary school and eventually university.

Ebola-- Voices of America

WHO Says Uganda’s Ebola Outbreak Under Control

Andrew Green

August 07, 2012

KAMPALA — Officials say Uganda’s Ebola outbreak, which has so far killed 16 people, is now under control.  It has now been almost one week since the last reported death from the virus, though teams continue to search for unreported infections.

Though the Ebola outbreak in western Uganda’s Kibaale District is not yet fully contained, Dr. Joaquim Saweka of the World Health Organization says it is under control.

“It is under control in the sense that we have isolated and we are treating all suspected and confirmed cases. We are tracing all the possible contacts,” Saweka said.

One patient was diagnosed with the virus yesterday, bringing the total to 60 since the outbreak was confirmed on July 28.  Of those patients, 30 remain in isolation.

A team from Uganda’s ministry of health, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and the WHO have also tracked nearly 400 people who came into contact with patients diagnosed with Ebola.  About 250 are still being monitored for signs of the virus.  They will not be declared clear until 21 days after they last came into contact with one of the patients.

Cases of transmission have been limited to the western part of the country.  One health worker died in Kampala after traveling to the western area, sparking fears that the virus might spread in the highly populated capital.  In addition, a prisoner suspected of having Ebola temporarily escaped custody at the hospital where he was being treated.  He was quickly located by police and health workers, who are continuing to monitor him for symptoms.

Despite these incidents, Saweka says there is no evidence Ebola has moved beyond Kibaale District.

“But this does not mean that we are not receiving a lot of alerts from all over the country.  So each time they call there is a national rapid response team, there is also a district rapid response team.  So any claim, any alert, it is followed up and it is verified,” Saweka said.

He says trained health workers are also continuing to travel through Kibaale District to search for any additional patients who have not reported to health centers.

President Yoweri Museveni and other officials have warned people to avoid physical contact and highly populated areas until the outbreak is declared over. Museveni followed his own advice when U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton visited Uganda last week, declining to shake her hand upon arrival.

Roxane Turner: Founder of One World Today

How I came to develop and love a commitment which I stand by the rest of my life –
Over the past four years I have traveled to Uganda annually. During my second visit, I lived at Bery’s Place, a home for young girls ranging from ages 7-20 on an island in Lake Victoria. These girls vary in their past experiences, but the unfortunate fact they have no one to care for them unites them in a kinship of sisterhood. Many have experienced sexual abuse, such as one disturbing story of a seven year old girl who tested positive for syphilis twice before the grandmother acknowledged she could not care for her. The grandmother had been arranging for the girl and her two cousins to perform sexual favors for money. While I was there, I taught and supported the girls and by the time I left they were calling me ‘Mummy’. An irreversible connection had been formed and I knew I would be returning.

While Uganda is privy to “Universal Education” such does not translate into “free education”. The majority of schools are government run and require students to pay school fees, purchase mandatory uniforms and necessary supplies. The remaining schools are private with even higher fees. In the Ssese Islands, where life is difficult, the predominant occupation is fishing. Men live a transient fishing lifestyle while women of the islands have turned to prostitution as a means of employment. The typical price for a prostitute is 500 Ugandan Schillings or $0.18 USD. Without protection the price is doubled. Given the environment, sexually transmitted diseases run rampant and have led to thousands of orphaned children.

During my second visit I accompanied a friend employed as a social worker by the government to orphanages around the island where he grew up. I was horrified by what I saw when we visited three orphanages as part of his inspection of the facilities, which are funded by an American/Canadian organization. The structures in which the children lived were filthy with leaking roofs (it was raining that day) and rodent-eaten foam pads for mattresses. In a country where malaria is rampant there were no bed nets. A young woman who had lived in the orphanage told of receiving letters and presents from her sponsor but the staff at the school sold her presents, pocketed the money, and forced her to write thank-you notes to her sponsor. Letters were always censored and children were not allowed to know their sponsor’s contact information. This first-hand experience in abuse of humanitarian aid compelled me to create a direct link between those with a desire to help and those in desperate need education financing, compassion and love.

Founded One World, LLC – In the spring of 2009 One World LLC was founded with the simple purpose to connect young Ugandan women, who are being denied the right of education, with compassionate supporters who recognize the value of educating women of the world. As former chief economist of the World Bank Lawrence Summers stated, “Investment in girls’ education may be the highest-return investment available in the developing world.” An organization was envisioned where quality, not quantity, was valued. Currently there are 6 girls who attending school due to kind hearts living in the United States. I personally know these children, and have spent time with them and their families.

During my visits to Uganda, I visit with the girls, check-in with their teachers and buy them any supplies they may need. All of this information is then share with their sponsor. Before connecting a potential sponsor with a child, we ensure they are prepared to remain a part of the child’s life through secondary school not only financially, but as someone who cares for the child’s well-being. School fees are paid three times per year and range from $20 a term to $100 (which includes boarding) depending on grade level. Fees are either paid in-person or transferred via Western Union. The numbers of those in need are increasing and it is our hope to expand by linking these children with sponsors in the U.S. who have a desire to make a positive difference in the world, but may be unsure of how to do so or weary of a misallocation of funds. One World, LLC has grown into a One World Today as a Nonprofit Corporation and backed by a strong board committed to supporting the educational achievement of girls.

We hope that you will join us in our endeavor to provide girls the opportunity to pursue education.
-Roxane Turner

PLEASE VISIT THE ONE WORLD TODAY WEBSITE AND HELP TO CHANGE THE LIFE A YOUNG WOMAN TODAY!

http://oneworldtoday.org/

Oh to be a celebrity

So, this week's guest blogger totally dropped the ball :-S sigh, but next weeks blogger is already scheduled, after that well we need more guest bloggers! Which makes me think.......

I am a reality TV junkie.....FACT. And tonight was yet another disappointing conclusion to the 1800th season of bachelor(ette). I do think that Emily picked the right guy for her, I just wish one time they would pick the person I would pick....but on the other hand I am clearly not a fantastic 'picker', anywho to the point....

Jef Holm has a company called People Water. The idea is selling clean water to those who can afford it to help those who cannot. My heart permanently residing in Africa means that access to clean drinking water (among other things) is near and dear to my heart. I had never heard of People Water until Jef Holm appeared on this season of the Bachelorette and if the bachelorette brought me to their blog for the first time, I am certain I was not the only one. Outside of the whole 'who doesn't want to fing true love' thing, I would love to go on a show like that simply because of the platform it would provide for me to talk about water, and malaria, and education, and maternal mortality rates and all of the other issues that are so easily overlooked when they are an ocean away.

We were stuck in traffic, this adorable boy and his father got off the bus
to ask if I could help pay his school fees 

These are three random villagers swimming nudy in the water source

the water above is but into this "filtration system"

I think about the students at HUMBLE and I think of all of the children who want to go to school but do not get the chance like the little boy I met sitting in traffic on our first day in Kampala. I just keep thinking if I could get an audience, if I could entice people to listen then now only would I be able to help not only the students at HUMBLE but I would be able to build more schools, help more people. As much as it bothers me that people need a ploy to care about something I care so much about, I'll drink the proverbial kool-aid because I've seen how effective merely having an audience is, and at this point, an audience is all I need.

And with that, I wish the best of luck to Jef and Emily and I am elated (and jealous) that his love has brought such an important issue into the hearts of minds of people who are in a position to help so much by offering so little. If you read this blog (there are about 4 of you ;-P) and you are not familiar with People water PLEASE visit their website People Water and their blog

First Guest Blogger- Amanda Teckman

During the summer of 2008, I spent two months in Ntinda, Uganda, on an internship with the United Nations Association of Uganda. While there, I visited their Mukono rural branch, where I learned about some of their important projects which help save lives every day. One of the projects was aimed at training teenagers in basic health practices and sending them out to the community to disseminate this information. One major concern in Uganda is malaria, and one simple way to prevent it is through the use of insecticide treated bed nets. The teenaged health workers educated Ugandans house by house on the importance of bed nets. According to a recent study published in Acta Tropica (http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0001706X11000611), "Malaria is reported by the Ministry of Health (MOH) as the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in Uganda, accounting for approximately 8–13 million episodes per year, 30–50% of outpatient visits at health facilities, 35% of hospital admissions, 9–14% of hospital deaths (nearly half of those in children less than 5 years of age) and a great many deaths occurring outside of health care settings."

Ugandans are increasingly relying upon government health centers and NGOs for obtaining treated bed nets, and relying less upon the option to purchase these nets.

NothingButNets is an NGO that works to provide insecticide treated bed nets to Ugandans and other people most susceptible to contracting the disease. Watch a NothingButNets video, showing bed net distribution in Uganda: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9S_vZBCNJM&feature=player_embedded#!.

But just as important as providing the treated bed nets is educating people about malaria and different ways to prevent and treat the disease. The government and other organizations such as the Humble School are key to providing this education.

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0001706X11000611

http://www.sciencedirect.com/

 

You can find Ms. Teckman on linked

or contact her via email at ateckman@gmail.com

Guest Bloggers!

I am certain that those of you following me are getting a little sick of hearing me go on and on about my babies at the Humble School. Not only that but the 315 children at Humble represent only a small number of children around the country (and continent) who are in need of food, shelter, clothing, education, and love. For this reason I have asked some of my friends and colleagues to write guest blog posts that I will showcase on my blog every Friday! I am excited to hear about each of their experiences and I hope you will be inspired. If you have stumbled onto this blog by accident and you have a story to share please feel free to e-mail me at judilinz2012mission@gmail.com

Look forward to the first guest post Tomorrow :-)

A topic near and dear to my heart that still plagues the Continent today...Refugees

While reading an article about the influx of Congolese refugees pouring into Uganda I was jolted back to my studies at Seton Hall. Particularly my thesis regarding how refugees find themselves in a position where fleeing is their only choice and the impact such movements have on the international community as a whole. So here are some of my thoughts on African refugees followed by the article which sparked my reminiscing

The study of refugee flows by scholars can be categorized into two unique groups. The first group looks at the effects of mass flight on the host nation and/or the international community. The second group of literature looks at potential factors, which contribute to formation of refugee movements. Affects of refugee movements on the international community is vitally important to the flow of refugees as it is the reason why refugees are a source of global concern.

Resource scarcity and national security are the two most notable effects refugees have on host countries and the international community, more generally. The availability of land, water and capital are a huge concern to host nations[1]. Particularly in Africa , host governments are to stable enough to deal effectively with the massive influx of refugees. Governments are left with more questions than answers, and typically struggle to supply both refugees and its constituents the resources needed to survive. Unfortunately, the resource dilemma is the primary cause of the security issues related to the movements of populations across borders. The prospect of terrorist refugees, and/or an outbreak of war due to refugee presence in the host nation have put the study of refugees at the forefront of the international agenda. Political leaders seek to understand what factors contribute to the flow of refugees so that they may mitigate the negative effects of refugees.

Literature focusing on trying to explain the cause of refugee population formation generally accepts the linkage between violence and flight. With this linkage, understood scholars then try to explain the source of the violence or how refugee producing violence is unique from non-refugee producing violence.

Iqbal provides an exceptional foundation to the study of refugee populations; he explains the formation of refugee movements as a function of violent conflicts within the borders of a nation-state. War is a chief cause of refugee flows worldwide, with millions fleeing violent conflicts for fear of losing one’s life, well-being, or freedom due to political oppression.[2] Bariagaber, a leading scholar in this field, spends a substantial amount of time analyzing the linkage between political violence and refugees. This correlation is clearly visible in the fact that between 1972 and 1992 the number of African refugees increased by a shocking 321%.[3] From this point—having accepted the violence link—scholars move forward to evaluate the specifics of refugee producing violence.

Abdullah for example, looks to economics to explain the conditions, which create a violent enough environment to facilitate mass flight of individuals across national borders. Utilizing the conflict in Sierra Leone, he draws a connection between economic strife among young underemployed men and the outbreak of devastatingly violent civil war.[4]  Apart from domestic factors in the account of refugee movements, some scholarship looks to international factors to explain the crisis. Authors such as Anthony, and Newbury, look at arbitrary borders erected as byproduct of colonization and the subsequent irredentism and nationalism, to explain the resulting—refugee producing—border disputes.[5]^,[6]

Zolberg et.al offers a new perspective on international factors, which contribute to refugee movements. The conceptualization of a global community depicts the specific role that international actors play in domestic conflicts. Particularly, how third party intervention can intensify the effects of civil war.  The authors argue that “Direct military intervention by external actors … [cause people to leave], but with greater intensity because they provide the antagonists with additional firepower.”[7]

---

[1] Rogge, J. (1981). "Africa 's Resettlement Strategies." International Migration Review 15: 195-212.

[2] Iqbal, Z. (2007). "The Geo-Politics of Forced Migration in Africa , 1992-2001." Conflict Management and Peace Science 24: 105-119.

[3] Bariagaber, A. (1995). Linking political violence and refugee situations in the Horn  of Africa : an empirical approach. International Organization For Migration Quarterly , 33(2), 201-234.

[4] Abdullah, I. (1998). "Bush Path to Destruction: The Origin and Character of the Revolutionary United Front/ Sierra Leone " Journal of Modern African Studies 36: 203-235.

[5] Anthony, C. (1991). "Refugee Crisis: State Building in Historical Perspective." International Migration Review 25: 574-591.

[6] Newbury, D. (1997). "Irredentist Rwanda: Ethnic and Territorial Frontiers in Central Africa  " Africa  Today 44: 211-222.

[7] Zolberg, A., A. Suhrke, et al. (1986). "International Factors in the Formation of Refugee Movements." International Migration Review 20: 151-169.

Uganda seeks help with influx of 16,000 refugees

Computers....FINGERS CROSSED

I am currently working with the National Maritime Center to secure 11 desktop computers for the children at Humble! We are not 100% sure we will be approved but keep your fingers crossed and the children of Humble in your prayers!

Life at the Humble School

HUGE THANKS TO ZACH NEDBALSKI for making these AWESOME videos!

Remembering the Children of Humble

Donate Donate Donate :-)

Mothers or Missiles

16

16 lives

16 hearts

16 mothers

16

Sixteen is the number of women who bleed to death during childbirth every day in Uganda. On June 11th 2012, a group of brave women took their concerns about this epidemic to the supreme court in Kampala. Global eyes turned to the nation when Jennifer Anguko a mother of three bled to death while waiting to give birth in a government hospital in October 2010. While the maternal mortality rate in Uganda has decreased significantly the nation still remains one of the most dangerous place in the world for expecting mothers. For every dollar the Ugandan government receives in foreign aid it decreases national spending by 57 cents, and hundreds of medical positions in the nation remain vacant.

Reading story after story about this tragedy plaguing the nation of Uganda I cannot help but think of all of the children at Humble who told me they wanted to grow up to become doctors and nurses. Yet many of the students leaving their p7 classrooms this year across the country will never have the privilege of stepping foot into a classroom again.

From http://thefeministwire.com/

Maternal mortality, like malaria or HIV/AIDS is not something that a quick fix will solve. The answers are not easy or simple. But what we know above any other variable thought to improve quality of life, education is the most important factor in improving the the social and economic welfare of a nation. http://www.unfpa.org/webdav/site/global/shared/documents/publications/reducing_mm.pdf

Blog Traffic

SO I have been struggling to garner more blog traffic....I am not an avid blogger, or a very good one :-S BUT this is a cause that is near and dear to my heart and one I would give a kidney to support if I had to. I hope to keep both my kidneys in tact for the time being, but I did take out an advertisement on facebook! So look for the Humble School facebook ad between 6/15-6/22 :-) 

Boys of Humble play director

Every parent hopes to have a happy and healthy child from the moment they find out they are welcoming a new bundle of joy well past the day their 18th birthday. Despite all of the hardships the children at Humble face every day, the faculty and staff do any amazing job making sure each and every student that steps foot in the school is happy and healthy. The smiles on the faces of those children is a sight I hope to never forget and I cannot wait to see again. After school play time was the time our group enjoyed the most, wether doing hair, playing soccer, jumping rope or directing movies--the afternoon dismissal bell meant it was time to have some fun!  Not every blog post is light spirited or happy, but I believe it is important to remember how happy and hopeful these amazing children are so today I will share a movie a came across while looking through my flip cam over the weekend. I would have liked to share one from the girls and one from the boys, but unfortunately the girls were not as skilled behind the camera ;-) 

Today I would like to take some time to share with you again what my vision is for my 2013 trip to Uganda. As I have said before some of the children who leave humble after grade seven will never again step foot inside a classroom. This is something that as Americans we often take for granted. I was a rarity in that I always loved school but my peers more often than not cheered for missing school. This is something you will not find in the children at Humble! They love to learn, they want to learn, they are eager to learn and they understand that an education is not only a privilege but likely their only opportunity to be the change they want to see for their community. For those of you who do not know, information technology is a BOOMING industry in many developing countries. Think back to the United States circa 1989-1995, that is where many developing nations are today. There are a multitude of opportunities for growth and development and the children are infatuated with the technology visitors bring from the states. When I arrived in Mukono I was knee deep in my pursuit of a certificate in web publishing, and spending time with all of the children had Lindsay and I reminiscing about Oregon Trail day in our computer class. Then a light went off, why do these children not have access to real computers where they can play educational games and learn everything from word processing to html coding, the way we did in elementary school. I could not help but think how these skills would help the children communicate with others around the world, garner support for their secondary education and provide marketable skills for them to enter the work force with. I have been working with textbook vendors, computer manufactures and local nonprofits to bring ten desk top computers with non-internet dependent educational software to the children at Humble. Ester and I spent some time doing the math and with these computers each child would get computer time every week. Their time in the lab would fit in with the core curriculum and the older student would have the opportunity to learn advanced skills after school. Ideally I will be there for 8-10 weeks with another volunteer (who is a bit more tech savvy) to teach the children and staff at humble not only how to use the computers but how to fix them if they break--making the program more self sustaining. All of the money I raise will be going to support this effort which the administration at Humble is very excited about! For now I leave you with some images of the "computers" the children have now. I believe they have 5 of them, and while they are a phenomenal resource the older children in particular need experience with fully operational full sized computers.

Message from Ester

I have been busy busy busy in my US life since I've returned from Uganda. Although I am not able to actively campaign for support as much as I would like to, there is rarely a moment I am not thinking about my beautiful babies working hard at school on the otherside of the world. In fact, one of the most exciting parts of my days are any time I have the opportunity to tell people about my time in Uganda and my plans to return in the spring. With all of the hecticness of my day to day life I finally got the opportunity to sit down and write to Ester, Humble's head mistress. I was excited when she replied and I would like to share that message with you now,

Hello Judith,

Apologies for delaying to respond to your mail. I have been quite busy with processing Visas for thye scouts team that will be coming to Atlanta in June, and also organising for the Annual conference that ended a few days back. Am so delighted that you are still thinking about coming back to HUMBLE next Feb. We shall keep you in prayer and thanks for sharing your blog with us. I will share thais with the kids and staff at school. I hope it helps out on the students who do not have a chance yet to join secondary school.

We love you Judy and regards to your friends and family.

Esther

I know how much of a privilege it is for all of them to visit the states. Many of the children will tell you they love hot dogs, pizza or hamburgers ( horrible choice health wise but I'll over look that for the time being). Please keep the scouts traveling and their amazing scout leader Mohammed in your thoughts and wish them a safe and swift journey to america.  

This is one of my favorite pictures! The scout leader and one of the boys taking time to have some fun!

Randy Pausch Last Lecture: Achieving Your Childhood Dreams

As I watch this amazing man who was certainly taken from the lives of his children and students too soon, I am reminded of the need to never stop dreaming and never stop doing!

I recommend that everyone watch this video it is an hour and 45 minutes well spent, and time I like to personally take out at least every few months! For you readers out there I would laso highly encourage the book, and I hope to share this speech with some of the children at Humble when I return in 2013.

Here are a few memorable quotes the never fail to give me goosebumps!

“The brick walls are there for a reason. The brick walls are not there to keep us out. The brick walls are there to give us a chance to show how badly we want something. Because the brick walls are there to stop the people who don’t want it badly enough. They’re there to stop the other people.” 


“The key question to keep asking is, Are you spending your time on the right things? Because time is all you have. Time is all you have and may find one day you have less than you think” 


“Showing gratitude is one of the simplest yet most powerful things humans can do for each other.” 

And a few on dreams, but before I list them I would like to take a brief moment to talk about my dream. My dream is to get back to Humble, get back to the place where I felt home from the minute I set foot inside those gates and to bring as much joy and education I can to every child I encounter in my time there. I feel privileged to be able to share those dreams with you, and I cannot wait to watch those dreams come to fruition. 

“It's not about how to achieve your dreams, it's about how to lead your life, ... If you lead your life the right way, the karma will take care of itself, the dreams will come to you.” 

“Its important to have specific dreams. Dream Big. Dream without fear.” 

“Give yourself permission to dream. Fuel your kids' dreams too. Once in a while, that might even mean letting them stay up past their bedtimes."

We've passed our P7 exams...now what?

Since the opening of Humble in 2004 the money sent to the school has gone to not only running the school on a daily basis for those who attend Humble as a day school as well as those who board there about 9 months out of the year, but also to help to alleviate the costs of secondary school for students who pass their P7 exams. While the school is typically running in the red, every year there has been enough money left to pay for the school fees for the Humble graduates. As humble grows the number of students leaving Humble increases, and while this is a fantastic accomplishment it also means that there are more students ready for secondary school but not more money. Sadly 2012 was the first year since opening its doors that Humble was not able to pay for the tuition of all of its graduates. It costs approximately $1500 US dollars a year for a student to go to secondary school. The children who did not receive sponsorship were asked to write letters about what they are doing now. I am having some trouble getting all of the letters up, but in the meantime here are just a few.

World Malaria Day

Today is malaria awareness day. Of all of the tragedy face by the third world today malaria may be one of the most heartbreaking because not only is it treatable it is preventable. However a child dies of malaria every 60 seconds. This is something that is particularly important to me because last year Humble lost its first student ever to malaria. Many of the children who attend Humble are orphaned so to lose a friend and a classmate to something so easily prevented is heart wrenching. As you get ready for bed tonight please take a moment, the time the children at Humble will be lowering their bed nets, to think about how something so ordinary (nighttime) changes the lives of those around the world so drastically. - Malaria is preventable and treatable - Every minute, a child dies of malaria - An estimated 655,000 people died of malaria in 2010 - The most deadly malaria is plasmodium falciparum - Malaria deaths have fallen by more than 25% since 2000 - Malaria is caused by a female mosquito that bites at night - 91% of malaria deaths occur in Africa - World Malaria Day is April 25th - Malaria costs Africa $12 billion annually - In Africa, 40% of health resources are used to treat malaria What we know, is the most effective prevention is the use of bed nets. Over 90% of those with access to IRS treated nets use them, and the nothing but nets campaign has been able to send more than 6million nets to Africa. To read more about malaria and the nothing but nets campaign please visit http://www.nothingbutnets.net

The man behind the mission.

Today after church I had the opportunity to meet Steve, the man who was so inspired by his trip to Mukono in 1999 that on the plane ride back he began to sketch his vision for what became to Humble School in 2004. It never ceases to amaze me how much of a difference just one person can make! Standing in the rain Steve told me about how when he went to the meeting for the church's first international mission he was more than hesitant to sign up, in fact he was the last person to join the mission team. Yet this couragous father of a two year old and a four year old returned to Norther Virgina with a plan!

Humble opened its doors for 116 children in february 2004 and today more than 50 students finished primary school at Humble and are in Secondary Schools around the country. I can only hope that 13 years from now my vision for Humble is a successful as Steve's and the the number of children who graduate from the school continues to grow!

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