Leprosy

I first heard of leprosy in Bible stories as a child.   I wasn't too clear on what it was, but if you had it, it was gross. and no one wanted to be near you.   I learned more about leprosy reading Stephen R. Donaldson's Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever.   The anti-hero in this epic fantasy, Thomas Covenant, is a modern-day man with leprosy. That alone was a revelation.   Until then, I thought leprosy was a thing of the past.   Donaldson grew up in India where his father served as a medical missionary, and he injects his knowledge of the disease into his books.

The other surprising thing I learned from Thomas Covenant is that leprosy damages the victim's peripheral nerves, leaving him unable to feel pain in those areas.   Diabetics face a similar problem with their feet.   If you can't feel pain, you don't realize if you've been hurt, and you may develop a serious injury or infection and be unaware of it.

My brother-in-law is an avid golfer.   One day, an errant golf ball connected with his, um, family jewels.   Needless to say, he experienced excruciating pain. When the pain didn't go away a few days later, he visited his doctor, who subsequently discovered testicular cancer.   Until the golf ball made contact, he was completely unaware he had a problem.   Pain probably saved his life.

The fundamental purpose of pain in our bodies is to make us aware we have a problem.   Pain reminds us to avoid touching a hot stove, to wear shoes, to seek shade on a hot day.   Pain is necessary to our safety.   Can we carry on this analogy to other types of adversity?

Some of life's problems can serve as an early-warning sign.   When a teacher catches a student with drugs at school, his parents are devastated, but they also have the opportunity to seek help before the problem gets worse.   When an adult loses a job, it might signal the need for a career change.   A child's failing grade in reading may alert a parent to poor eyesight or dyslexia.

As difficulties in life are inevitable, we'd like to believe they have a purpose.   We've looked at some purposes for pain and adversity – to help us relate to others, to test and reveal our character, to reveal the attributes of God, and to alert us to existing or impending underlying problems.   Trials can do more than alert us to the need for change; trials can be the agents of change.   We'll look at that next.

Malaria isn't History

In 1942, Robert Kanavel, an 18-year old Navy Hospital Corpsman, left the MOB 5 Hospital on New Caledonia and headed to Guadalcanal as a volunteer for innovative Malaria Control Unit “Skeeter Beaters.”   Early in the Pacific Campaign of WWII, malaria caused more Allied deaths than did Japanese bullets.   With the help of his unit and others which followed, casualties in the Pacific were cut by 98%.  Many of the Skeeter Beaters, including my father, Pharmacist Mate Kanavel, contracted malaria while fighting it.

Malaria isn’t history.  According to the World Health Organization(WHO), malaria kills more than one million people each year.  More than 40% of the world’s population is at risk, in areas such as Africa, Central America, Hispaniola, India, the Middle East, Oceania, South America, and Southeast Asia.  Children and pregnant women are most at risk.  The Centers for Disease Control   (CDC) report that malaria is the fourth leading cause of death for children under five years of age worldwide.   A child dies of malaria every 30 seconds.

The Skeeter Beaters are still fighting malaria.   Joining with the charity Against Malaria, Skeeter Beaters, their families, and friends are helping to combat the illness by purchasing long lasting insecticidal nets (LLIN).   You can join them. A contribution of only $5.00 buys one LLIN. You can also contribute to the Skeeter Beater legacy by purchasing items from the Skeeter Beaters -- U. S. Navy Malaria Control Unit Cactus online store.   The proceeds will be donated to Against Malaria in honor of Malaria Control Unit Cactus.

Every day, the number of children who die of malaria would fill seven jumbo jets.   In the time it took you to read this, another two children have died.  Please join the fight against malaria.