We spent the day in Kruger National Park in search of the “Big 5.” We saw them all except the leopard.
These days are always relaxing and a little adventurous, especially for the boys. But whenever I come close natures fiercest predators, I am quickly reminded of the predators of children living in extreme poverty.
Here are the Big 5 killers of kids around the world.
- Acute respiratory infections (like pneumonia)
- Diarrhea
- Newborn disorders
- Malaria
- Malnutrition
The term “Big 5″ originally came from African game hunters, and refers to the most
difficult animals in Africa to hunt on foot.
However, the top child killers are all preventable and treatable. They are not difficult to find, hunt, and kill. We’ve all but wiped them out in the U.S.
We never hear about these killers because U.S. kids don’t often die of diarrhea…and almost never from malaria or malnutrition.
But there are billions of children who are stalked by these killers every day of their lives. And they cannot fight them on their own.
It costs about a $300 to feed a child 3 meals a day for a full year, and it costs only $10 to buy and install a malaria net. Clean water? Clean water wells can cost over $10,000, but provide clean water for a very long time for a whole lot of people. Clean water means no diarrhea.
What do we lack? We lack the will. We lack the enthusiasm.
Like I mentioned yesterday, hundreds of thousands of soccer fans have come to South Africa to cheer madly for teams from other countries. What if we bottled that enthusiasm and focused it on feeding children, preventing disease, and delivering clean water?
Let’s go hunt some child-killers today.
Later I am going to post on a place called Mpaka. A HopeChest CarePoint in Swaziland that has experienced transformation because a group of people got together and cared for kids. It’s a living picture of how we can eliminate poverty and restore wholeness to orphans.
If you want to journey with us, I’d encourage you to download our Beyond the Game Devotional. Want to come back to South Africa with HopeChest? Visit our Pastor Vision Trip page.
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posted June 17, 2010 at 1:31 pm
I am quickly reminded of the predators of children living in extreme poverty.
This is a wonderful opinion. The things mentioned are unanimous and needs to be appreciated by everyone.
Credit Cards
posted June 17, 2010 at 2:03 pm
Can’t wait to see how the Lord will use this trip and your blog to bring people forward for the trip in October!!! LOVE to see communities connecting to communities overseas and how all our lives are changing in the process
posted June 17, 2010 at 2:23 pm
Tom, thanks for sharing this. I am excited to hear about Mpaka. It is amazing what can happen when people take the time to listen and then work towards change
posted June 17, 2010 at 4:24 pm
Tom, thanks for taking the time to write these updates. I love reading these. We’re praying for you guys!
posted June 18, 2010 at 2:00 am
there is no such thing as a non profit organization… you take peoples money and pay your bills first … your just a used car sells man using god to make money … better get fire insurance your going to need it were your going!!!
posted June 18, 2010 at 5:00 am
I love it when the Love of TRUE Christian character comes through folks comments who won’t even post their real name. The question for all of us is not to be ignorant critics of what others are doing, but what are each of us doing that is making a difference. It’s always easier to judge other people’s motives than our own.
posted June 18, 2010 at 8:43 am
I am looking forward to seeing what happens in Durban over the coming years as a result of the partnership with Focus. Eradicating the 5 killers amongst the communities that our church partners engage in will change lives.
posted June 18, 2010 at 11:55 am
Continue to pray for all of you Tom…sounds like you are having an amazing time with the boys…what an experience of a life time for them!
posted June 18, 2010 at 1:42 pm
Dear Withyobadself,
Being as your post came through at 2 am, I assume you are suffering from insomnia or that you just rolled in from being up in da club. Either way, you are quite possibly not in the best state of mind to be tutoring any of us about such things as the underpinings of the non-profit organization or spliting ecclesiastical hairs about the motivations of others. Our Good Lord himself exclusively reserves this right – as I’m sure you well know as you are recommending some sort of fire insurance product to Mr. Davis.
“I am reluctant to push God off His judgment seat and take my place there to pronounce on others when I have neither the knowledge nor the authority to judge anyone…no one has ever seen a motive. Therefore we cannot suspect what inspired the action of another.” – Brennan Manning
posted June 18, 2010 at 8:56 pm
If kids in our neighborhoods had these problems, we’d all rally to them. Is the only thing stopping us the fact that these kids live in another country? Are they “someone else’s” problem?
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