DailySusan Humor Blog

MILES FOR MALI

But if we walk in the light,
as he is in the light,
we have fellowship one with another,
and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son
cleanseth us from all sin.
-- 1 John 1:7

Our church is raising $1 million for a maternity hospital in one of the poorest countries in the world. Mali is ‘way over on the other side of the planet, on the edge of the Sahara Desert in northwest Africa. We always think of Timbuktu as being the absolute end of the earth; it’s just up the road from where this hospital is going to be.

Church leaders challenged each of us to help. They showed pictures of a dusty, desolate terrain, with gray soils, few trees and shacks that passed as homes. There’s never enough to eat. AIDS is rampant, malaria is out of control, and per-capita income is just $250 a year. Most everyone is Muslim; Jesus Christ is mostly unknown.

As a mother with four stripes on my maternity letter jacket, I was particularly grieved to learn that as many as 10% of mothers die in childbirth there, and one out of every four children dies before reaching age 5, largely because of malnutrition and lack of medical care. There are hardly any obstetricians, gynecologists and pediatricians in the whole country.

(Photo from www.themaliproject.org)

The problems are enormous. What could WE do to help?

We drove home in our air-conditioned car on Omaha’s wide streets, past spacious homes, lush gardens and tall shade trees. My tummy bulged over my belt, compliments of the abundant good food available around here. No one in my family is sick in any way right now, and while we’re not exactly sitting on a mountain of money, we’re in the foothills.

Our way of life is probably as different as could be from the lifestyle of a family in Mali.

Most of all, I thought back over the great prenatal care I received for each of my four pregnancies: the many tests, the ultrasounds, the nutritional advice, the high-tech delivery rooms, the neonatal intensive care.

It never even crossed my mind that I or any of my babies might die. Yet that’s a constant concern over in Mali. If things go wrong, they bleed to death or their uterus ruptures. The nearest full-service clinic is hundreds of miles away . . . but we could have gotten to three in the time it took to drive home from church.

Timbuktu was no longer out of sight, out of mind. It was in my heart. We had to help. But how?

Our daughter Neely piped up.

“You and Dad are always complaining about how out of shape you are and how you never get any exercise,” she said. “Why don’t you go on a walking program, and get other people to walk with you? Get sponsors, and raise money that way?”

Perfect! We loved it! And that’s what we’re going to do . . . starting today.

It’s 5,600 miles to the town in Mali where the hospital is going to be built, Koutiala. We have 56 days until the fund-raising deadline, Aug. 20. We have set an impossibly high goal, $5,600.

And we’re getting the ball rolling by committing to walk one mile a day. That’s 56 miles. Now we’re seeking sponsors who’ll walk alongside us by donating money toward our goal.

Won’t you sponsor us for a quarter or a dollar a day? Or more?

Better yet, won’t you get your own sponsors and walk, run, bicycle or swim as many miles as you can by Aug. 20, and contribute your proceeds to this cause? You can use the chart, attached.

Won’t you tell your co-workers and neighbors about Mali, and enlist their help and donations?

Donations are tax-deductibile. Checks should be made out to Christ Community Church and sent to:

Susan Williams
P.O. Box 995
Elkhorn, NE 68022

Thank you! We’ll pray for everybody who helps as we go along, and keep you posted with our progress. Let’s walk 5,600 miles together this summer . . . and may our feet help bring a miracle to Mali. †
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Miles For Mali

Goal: Raise $5,600 and collect 5,600 miles of walking, running, biking and swimming in 56 days to help build a much-needed maternity hospital in Mali, Africa.

Please print out, fill in, and send with your check made out to Christ Community Church to:
Susan Williams, P.O. Box 995, Elkhorn, NE 68022. Deadline: Aug. 20. Donations tax-deductible; you will receive a letter for your files.

Pledge for the Williams Family’s 56 miles: $_____ per mile

How can we pray for you as we walk? ___________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

RAISE EVEN MORE BY GETTING YOUR OWN SPONSORS.
Multiply the fitness and the fund-raising!

Please let us know as soon as possible what your mileage goal is, and how much money you hope to bring in, by emailing swilliams1@cox.net Print out and post this chart to keep records of miles you’ve logged and sponsors who are helping, and you’re on your way! Send checks to the post office box so that they are received by Aug. 20. Thanks! You are Mali-velous!!!

Week of . . . # of Mile $ per mile, all sponsors Weekly Total

June 25 $ $

July 2 $ $

July 9 $ $

July 16 $ $

July 23 $ $

July 30 $ $

Aug. 6 $ $

Aug. 13 $ $
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TOTAL: _____ miles $______________ $___________

Learn more at: www.themaliproject.org or www.christcommunityomaha.org