iCD students helps send off first batch of mosquito nets to Togo and Burkina Faso.

Each Thursday morning, our students and staff members gather for a time of intercessory prayer. This week our Introduction to Communications and Design (iCD) students took time to help us learn about, reflect upon and pray actively in response to three issues affecting a combined, estimated 1 billion people around the world: hunger, contaminated water and the impact of malaria.

With roughly 920 million people living on $1.25 USD a day, poverty for them becomes a vicious cycle. These individuals already face significant obstacles securing employment, education and healthcare opportunities and resources, that with the impact of widespread hunger, diseased water and the prevalence of malaria only keeps them trapped in poverty.

While considerable progress has been made, the statistics remain staggering. In 2010 alone, 925 million people suffered chronic hunger—a large majority being children—9 million children died before seeing their fifth birthday because of malnutrition and diarrhea-related illnesses associated with poor nutrition and unclean water consumption and 850,000 still die each year from malaria—a 100 percent preventable illness. Unfortunately, a large portion of these statistics still comes from the continent of Africa.

In response, our Introduction to Communications and Design (iCD) students created a powerful presentation and provided a unique opportunity for our students and staff to stand in solidarity with those facing such obstacles on a daily basis. With three prayer stations set up to encourage students to pray for each topic discussed, our students were passionately praying for the nations.

But it didn’t stop there.

Our iCD team is actively developing a unique way for YWAMers, family and friends, and “the nations” to respond to the needs of our brothers and sisters around the world in a practical manner through the Do-Aid initiative. It is the students’ vision that once fully developed, Do-Aid will provide a way for individuals to support and encourage those living in difficult circumstances by financially supporting a variety of initiatives.

As its first initiative, the iCD students raised enough money to purchase top-rate mosquito nets, which are being sent with the DTS teams to distribute during their outreaches to Burkina Faso and Togo. While still in the beginning stages, we look forward with great anticipation the fruit that will come from such endeavors as Do-Aid because of students following the gentle nudges of our Lord.

As one iCD student said, “As Christians we are to help God in bringing His kingdom here to earth. There is no room for starvation, death, and disease in the kingdom of God. So it is our responsibility to do something about it in the name of Jesus, and it starts with a simple action.”

We may only be one, but together with the power of God we can be a force to be reckoned with.

Statistics retrieved from:

*Issued by the UN Department of Public Information – DPI/2650 A/Rev.1 – September 2010

*Issued by the UN Department of Public Information – DPI/2650 D – September 2010

*http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=34465&Cr=malaria&Cr1=