Fork In The Road Music

Since its release the Iphone 4 has been plagued by customers complaining about its antenna design flaw. Apparently if you hold the phone a certain way your signal drops significantly. Apple has responded saying that some loss is normal for any phone, depending on where you hold it. While this is a valid complaint, a legitimate problem let me suggest some bigger problems that exist out there.

Problem #1:  Malaria

Malaria is a disease caused by the blood parasite Plasmodium, which is transmitted by mosquitoes. Malaria, from the Medieval Italian words mala aria or “bad air,” causes 350 million to 500 million illnesses per year and kills more than one million people – mostly children under the age of five.

Malaria is particularly devastating in Africa, where it is a leading killer of children. In fact, there are 10 new cases of malaria every second. Every 30 seconds, a child in Africa dies from a malaria infection.

Solution: Visit http://www.nothingbutnets.net/ and make a donation. $10 buys a net, $10 saves a life.

Problem #2: Clean Water

Unsafe water and lack of basic sanitation cause 80% of diseases and kill more people every year than all forms of violence, including war. Children are especially vulnerable, as their bodies aren’t strong enough to fight diarrhea, dysentery and other illnesses.

90% of the 42,000 deaths that occur every week from unsafe water and unhygienic living conditions are to children under five years old. Many of these diseases are preventable. The UN predicts that one tenth of the global disease burden can be prevented simply by improving water supply and sanitation.

Solution: Visit http://www.charitywater.org/ and make a donation to help provide clean drinking water.

Problem: Orphans

Christian Today quoted Kay Warren from a recent speech at Catalyst, “In the United States, if one family out of every four churches adopted a child, there would be no orphans in the country.” UNICEF estimates that there are 2800 orphans in the US.  That’s 2800 children under the age of 18 without a home.

Solution: Adopt. Here is just one site that will give you a place to start http://www.myadoptionagencies.com/

Problem: Haiti Relief

Yes it’s still there. Though many other problems have surfaced to divert our attention, there is still a need for relief in Haiti 6 months after the devistating earthquake. Haiti has come a long way, but with hurricane season upon them, the need to rebuild is crucial.

Solution: United Methodist Committee on Releif or UMCOR is in the area working. You can give to help their efforts in many ways. Just visit http://new.gbgm-umc.org/umcor/give/manyways/

OH.. and for the iphone antenna? Take it back, or buy a case.

What would you add to the list?

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