Stories
Liz Gosse
8th November
Recently our pastor at church had done a series on living radically for Christ. While i don’t think asking people for $30 is a radical thing to do, it’s certainly a start. i’ve always had a heart for people in other countries and have seen first hand the poverty we so often ignore. The last couple days i have been thinking about my 30th birthday and how i want to celebrate it. It would be easy to wallow in self pity about reaching a real “grown up” age. Instead i want to make this about other people and celebrate that they can have something that can save their lives in hopes they reach their 30th birthday too.
Jennifer Erickson
3rd November
I was inspired to make a positive impact in the world after visiting my sponsored child Roxana. It was five years ago this Christmas that I started sponsoring my World Vision child Roxana in Mexico. The reason I started sponsoring Roxana was as a Christmas gift to my dad. He is the hardest person for me to shop for, so I chose to sponsor a child in his name. I framed Roxana’s picture, and gave it to my dad on Christmas. I explained that her sponsorship was my gift to him. I was sponsoring her in his name. Since I started sponsoring Roxana, I have had the opportunity to visit her twice, to see her school, and visit the World Vision center in her community. I have then been able to bring back … Read More »
My Old Nasty Shoes
4th September
A few nights ago, I posted this status on my Facebook profile;
“Truly, one Man’s trash is another Man’s treasure. It only matters which perspective you choose to see. Live with open hands.”
I was asked to share what I was referring to, but I didn’t feel comfortable just yet. I was still processing an encounter I had only a few minutes earlier that will probably change my life forever. It seems I could have made this story up, it’s cliché in its nature. In fact, I’ve heard stories like this many times- but this time it happened to me, and I would like to share it with you.
My typical Sunday evenings consist of basketball, around 5:30pm my friends and I will undoubtedly all show up at a local church downtown and hoop it up. Last week was … Read More »
Local News
21st June
Eric Hanson from our local station KCCI Channel 8 emailed me seemingly out of nowhere. He said that he’d like to do a story on my birthday project. He continued to tell me how a co-worker had forwarded my website to him on Facebook. When we were finally able to nail down a time to film, they were in a hurry. They wanted to film it and air it the same day, I said bring it on. It just so happens that the day we filmed was April 25th, World Malaria Day.
My friend Derian had been in the loop through the whole thing. He happened to be in town and I told him to stop by and watch the shoot. Secretly, I wanted him to get in on it. Derian has been … Read More »
A Random Conversation.
21st June
When you’re in the middle of a project, especially one as large and time-consuming as Happy Birthday Nate, it’s always on your mind. Sometimes I think my friends in real life, and my friends in my networks get annoyed as much as I talk about it. Overall, everyone is very encouraging and willing to help, I couldn’t ask for better people in my life. There’s some friends who politely allow me to talk about my dream, and there’s other ones who completely enable me as they dream alongside me. Hours are spent talking about this project, and hoping it will accomplish two things:
I want to raise this money to purchase nets for people who can’t purchase themselves, give them hope and a future as they’re protected from the nocturnal mosquitoes that transmit Malaria while they … Read More »
Joy Esser
20th June
Nate Beaird was my inspiration. It just takes a man with a dream and a few dollars from your pocket to make a difference
Karen
16th May
Nate was my inspiration. I, too, turned 30, and think it’s a great way to help people.
Allie Rae Warbington
15th May
I have two World Vision brothers and one World Vision sister. My family and I want to use our birthdays to help them, and other children have healthier lives.
Leigh Ann Phillips
25th April
My daughter donated $100 to World Vision for her birthday in lieu of a party this year. I want children’s lives to be saved. That is what I want for every birthday and Christmas too!
P.J. Mayfield
25th April
Birthdays are all about kids…..and I want to see more kids live to see their next birthday!
Derian Baugh
23rd April
To all my Friends and Family,
I’m turning 30 this summer and I’m on a mission to use this milestone birthday for a purpose! Specifically, I’m looking for 30 people who will donate $30 dollars for my 30th Birthday to help save the lives of children in Africa from malaria! Most people don’t know that malaria is completely preventable and kills a child every 45 seconds.
That is why I’ve become a Birthday Hero and partnered with HappyBirthdayNate.com (Nate is one of my best friends!) and World Vision – a very established and reputable non-profit organization with a mission to completely eradicate malaria by 2015.
As a Birthday Hero, my personal commitment is to find 30 people who will partner with me for my 30th Birthday – by donating $30 towards this cause!
Will you please consider being … Read More »
Brandon
23rd April
I have seen the passion from Nate with this cause and have read on this and believe in this idea to save even one child from the grips of Malaria is worth it. We are blessed here in America and don’t see this and it seems to be ignored by the big media outlets.
MARC MUMMELTHEI
14th April
For my 35th birthday, I will gladly help out my good friend Nate and all the children fighting the battle against Malaria. I encourage everyone to join and reach the goal of 100,000 lives saved! God Bless
Jasen Hatten
12th April
I want to make a difference in the world and this is definitely a cause worth fighting for. The small price of each net to save a life is a no brainer!!!
Dalton Carlstrom
3rd April
I couldn’t imagine celebrating my next birthday knowing that there’s a vicious disease killing thousands of children and adults everyday that is 100% preventable. Instead of getting gifts this year, I want to help my friend Nate give the gift of life to 100,000+ people by his birthday. Do you have what it takes to make a difference? Do it by joining the fight against the silent disease known as Malaria.
Ryan Weldon
2nd April
I decided to give up my birthday to help raise money to combat Malaria when I heard Nate talking about it at a BBQ. I didn’t realize the effect Malaria has had, and knowing we can eliminate it makes me excited to be part of that process! We can do this!
Tech Fail.
15th March
Dan (a senior pastor):
“I used the first three weeks of October to promote a Malaria Sunday campaign. My sanctuary technology collapsed just before the first service – so we conducted the entire campaign without showing a single trailer or video…it was all hand-outs and pulpit announcements…that’s tough in a visual, entertainment-minded culture. But we exceeded our goal…in fact, more than doubled it! But there was one outcome we did not expect: the Malaria Sunday did not negatively impact our local church income through tithes and offerings. That October was either the highest or close to highest giving in the history of our church. God honored our faith and His word: Luke 6:38.”
Casual Conversation.
15th March
Dennis (a denominational bishop and senior pastor), relates:
“We asked the members of our church to join the war against malaria by purchasing treated bed nets. One lady in our congregation, a nurse, works in a hospital. On Monday morning she was casually sharing with co-workers over lunch what her church was doing to protect and save the lives of children in Africa. “No child should die from a mosquito bite,” she commented. To her utter surprise (for she was not fund-raising or soliciting donations), they offered to pitch in and help. Word got around and before long doctors and nurses had given her $250 to take to her church. These medical professionals know this disease is 100% preventable, and they wanted to help.”
Overheard.
15th March
Ramona (a World Vision volunteer and homemaker), shares:
“In preparation for selling our home, we hired a lady to remove outdated wallpaper from our kitchen walls. She was all business…focused on her task, listening to music on her earphones, and rarely speaking a word. I was busy on the phone contacting pastors about the War on Malaria, answering their questions, and doing all I could to save the lives of children in Africa, where 91% of all malaria deaths occur. Apparently she was able to listen to my half of the conversations…for when I completed one call she said, “I would like to give $6 to buy a net, and I have several friends who I think would want to help too!”
Children Fighting for Children.
15th March
Bjorn (a children’s pastor), tells his story:
“After receiving the malaria net information I decided it would be an awesome opportunity to share with my children how we could be living examples of Christ to the children of Africa. As of family of five we would give two nets per person. I wanted my kids to know that because of the abundance we have, we could, as a family, save 20 kids from malaria with a small gift of $60. I explained this is what being a Christian is really about…about living out our faith.
What really surprised me was their response. My eight-year old daughter, Emilie, came to my wife in tears with cash in her hand to pay for another net. She felt so badly for the children of Africa and has been praying for them since. My 12-year … Read More »
Generosity From Inception.
15th March
Darrick (a church planter), in an email:
“Our church isn’t launched yet, but we want to be a church that practices generosity from its inception, and this War on Malaria is a great way for us to begin. We are asking the people on our launch team to get involved…I am praying and believing for $1,200 to purchase 200 nets this year.”
Mama Rose.
15th March
Larry (from the Huffington Post, posted April 2011):
“Mama Rose Nambing lives alone in her community in a small village in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. No one speaks to her, and people avoid her. Mama Rose has lost her entire family, seven children and her husband, to malaria. Her isolation is because people are afraid they might be touched by the same fate. As she explains these deaths, she gazes into the distance. She did not know malaria comes from mosquitoes. She did not know… this deadly disease…takes a child every 45 seconds in Africa. Now Mama Rose is alone. But across the continent, mothers just like her continue to cradle sick children and watch them grow worse, as the malaria parasite attacks their bodies.”
LemonAID Stand.
15th March
Rhonda (a mom, and wife of a Bible College president), emailed:
“Our son birthed the idea of “Lemonade for Life:” now our friends and college students are busy building the lemonade stand, designing T-shirts, and creating video and printed material. Everyone is excited! We are already scheduled for appearances in Missour4i, Texas, Arkansas and California. We are fully committed to the cause of ending malaria deaths by 2015. In fact, while waiting in the doctor’s office today, Evan (our son) asked a mother close by, “Have you heard about malaria?” She had given $6.00 before the conversation ended.”
Slideshow:
Fullscreen:
Christmas x2.
15th March
Greg (a senior pastor), in an email:
“Our small church set a goal of 100 nets by Christmas day – one for each person in our congregation. With three weeks to go our people had already met that goal. The Holy Spirit nudged me to believe God for a “double portion,” so I challenged our people with the vision of 200 nets. To God be the glory – on Christmas eve we celebrate the final in-gathering – enough for 200 treated bed nets to save 400 children from the threat of malaria.”
Family Unit.
15th March
Clyde (a denominational leader), emailing about his four-generational family uniting to fight malaria deaths:
“I made a mosquito net presentation to my entire family. REAL proud of my grandchildren! Tonight they helped their mom and dad work in the garden for HOURS (no complaints) pulling dead vines, radishes, cutting perennials, raking, and doing some very “UNfun” hard work – all so they could earn more money to send to Africa. They want to help grandpa send treated bed nets to save children from mosquitos and malaria.”
Clyde, in a follow up email:
“A surprise ending: now the ladies in my mother’s residential home are uniting to purchase nets. And my five-year old doll lover (granddaughter) now covers her dolls with an improvised bed net while putting them to sleep.”
The Congo.
15th March
John (a World Vision employee), emailing from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC):
“It’s been a rough day. We visited a hospital where we saw a young girl being treated for malaria. She was hooked to an IV receiving a blood transfusion; she was sweating heavily. Thirty minutes later she died. A six dollar bed net could have saved her life. The nurse told me last week there were 15 children admitted, most of them malaria patients. Five of them have died. This hospital is the largest in the area and it does not even have insecticide-treated bed nets for patients.”
John, upon returning from the DRC:
“I was in one village where a senior pastor told me he had conducted 20 funerals for children that month. Most died from malaria. Many parents do not even name their children until the age of … Read More »
Do More.
15th March
PJ (a student ministry leader with DoGoodExperience), in a phone interview:
“It was MLK weekend, January 2012. The event was branded DoMore. Three intense days were set aside for 21 “cream-of-the-crop” students who had been nominated by their student pastors. The purpose of the gathering was crystal clear: teach students how to make their ideas to impact culture through social good and the Gospel become realities. The process was intentional: bring world-class mentors to share their lessons in life about learning from failure, innovation/creativity, collaboration, leveraging social media, story-telling/vision casting, and fund-raising. The classroom and small group exercises changed their lives, and consumed half of their time.
Ah…but they were assembled to DoMore! Now they were to collaborate on the lessons learned, and develop and implement a strategy to combat a specific social need. On this occasion it was to declare war … Read More »
