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These drawings are the winners of the 2011 Imagine No Malaria Art Contest. Drawings by Killian Mullay, Hadlee Walker, Samantha Tisinger

The United Methodist Church, through its Imagine No Malaria campaign, is working to raise $75 million to eliminate deaths and suffering from malaria in Africa by 2015. Jo Chesson, was called upon to lead the Baltimore-Washington Conference’s efforts in this ministry.

Five years ago, I couldn’t even spell the word malaria. This was nothing more than a scary project that I had no knowledge about. I had no clue what to expect, so I had to put my trust and faith in God. That’s when I met some wonderful people at the United Nations Foundation who had been to Africa and who had seen firsthand what the devastating effects were on children and adults who were bitten by this obnoxious insect, “the mosquito.”

Growing up with a backyard garden and some chickens and goats, all I knew about these insects was that they were a nuisance and if they bit you it itched. It wasn’t until I began doing the research that I came to realize how deadly one kind of mosquito could be.

Several months later, Bishop Schol invited me to go to Zimbabwe to help in the first nets distribution of the Baltimore-Washington Conference.

The conference has now distributed more than 25,000 nets in Zimbabwe.

On my first journey to Zimbabwe, Bishop Schol said, “you will never be the same once you have seen with your own eyes, and feel in your own heart.”

That was so true. We went to a hospital and visited with a mother who held her small child who was very ill. She said, “He will die today.” The look on her face, the pain of her heart met with mine.

Later on, we met another mother with her child who was also sick from malaria, except her child was able to receive treatment in time to save his life. My heart was still broken, yet rejoicing as she would leave the hospital with a pesticide-treated bed net to protect the rest of her family. The impact we’ve had can’t be measured.

Chesson has a heart for youth ministry. She was delighted at ROCK 2011 when the youth raised $20,000 for Imagine No Malaria, but she wasn’t surprised.

Nothing surprises me anymore, I only get more and more excited. I use to get excited when big checks were handed to me from churches, groups and organizations to buy nets. I used to get overwhelmed with joy and maybe tear up when I read the stories or heard of what the small children in a Sunday School did to raise money, or hear about the lock-in a youth group did, or when an individual did something unique or special to raise a few dollars. The people of The United Methodist Church don’t surprise me anymore, they just “tickle me” to no end with their generosity and thoughtfulness for the kingdom of God.

This summer Chesson returns to Zimbabwe.

Each time I go back, it’s like going back for a big family reunion. Some members of the family have died, others have grown older, some even wiser. Every time I go, I see hope. I see love, I see appreciation for us, I see need, I see devastation.
I see Jesus Christ.

The BWC has pledged $2 million to the Imagine No Malaria campaign. Chesson knows that every dollar, every effort and every prayer make a difference in eradicating malaria.

With God all things are possible. So I believe that through God the people of The United Methodist Church will succeed.