What gift can you bring?

Ministry isn't just what a pastor does on Sundays, or even what pastors - or missionaries, or chaplains - do all week. The word ministry has Latin roots, and its origins meant service. In the context of the Protestant church, ministry might be defined as "the service to others that followers of Jesus perform in the name and Spirit of Christ."

Imagine No Malaria is one of the ways that The United Methodist Church seeks to serve others, offering them abundant life in Jesus' name. The community health workers, doctors and nurses, administrators of in-country health boards, communication professionals and many others who are on the ground to provide services in Africa are all engaged in ministry, whether they think about it that way or not. All of them are part of an effort to allow many more people to live life to the fullest, as God desires.

But they're not the only ones doing ministry through Imagine No Malaria. As we work to raise awareness and educate people here in the U.S. about malaria, its devastating effects on individuals and communities in Africa, and the opportunity we have to end preventable deaths and suffering from malaria in this generation, we need people to get involved who have a variety of backgrounds and a wide range of gifts. Whether you are a teacher, a custodian, an architect, an administrative assistant, a software engineer, or a scientist, you have something to offer.

Mosquitoes look scarier under
a microscope

We recently heard from Dr. Cynthia Paquette, an Entomologist who is working on malaria-transmitting mosquito research at Colorado State University.  Cynthia is also a Certified Candidate for Ministry (Elder's Orders).  She reached out to offer her gifts to be part of the campaign, and also expressed her conviction of the importance of this work:

Bishop Stanovsky,

I am very excited and glad that the United Methodist Church is taking a big leap to help people afflicted with malaria.

Malaria, as you probably already know, is a very difficult disease to control and the plasmodium parasite is a very fastidious one due to its different forms in its life cycle.  A lot of research is ongoing but people are dying daily because a cure has not been found and the mosquito vectors are becoming resistant to the available chemical insecticides.

Meanwhile, it is harder and harder to conduct research because federal grant money is drying up due to the decline in our economy.  Therefore, I think it is important for the people of God to step up to the plate to help other people of God who are suffering.  

I think an integrated approach that the Imagine No Malaria campaign is taking is an important one due to the prolific nature of this parasite and its mosquito vector.  I think it is very important that the church be exposed to the ongoing problem of malaria and be given the opportunity to respond financially (and other ways – prayer, resources, physical help etc.) because this is a disease that has plagued the third world countries where financial resources are very low.

I believe we, the church, can make a difference!

Blessings,
Cynthia

Cynthia (Khoo) Paquette, Ph.D.
Infectious Disease Annex
Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology
Colorado State University

What gifts can you bring? Can you make phone calls or send emails? Give a presentation? Can you work behind the scenes to plan a community engagement event with your church? Whatever your area of training or expertise, if you have a passion for this ministry, I am confident we can find a way to use your gifts to help save lives in Jesus' name. Comment below if you want to learn more or be trained as a volunteer!