Grace’s Guardian: The $5 Net You Provide Stands Between Life and Death
- Dr. Daniel Gilbert
- 2 hours ago
- 2 min read
Tuesday, May 6
7: 00 am
Dr. Daniel & Mary Beth Gilbert
The sun sets over Ebenezer Children’s Home in Kenya, casting long shadows across the dusty playground. As darkness approaches, ten-year-old Grace’s small fingers work methodically, tucking in the edges of her mosquito net—the one YOUR generosity provided. This nightly ritual, made possible by YOU, is quite literally saving her life.
When you first meet Grace*, her bright eyes and quick smile might make you forget what she’s survived. But as the evening breeze carries the familiar whine of mosquitoes outside her window, the weight of your impact becomes clear.
“Before I had this net,” Grace whispers, her voice soft in the dimming light, “I was always afraid when the sun went down.”
She remembers the nights before Ebenezer—the constant buzz of mosquitoes in her ears as she tried to sleep, the helpless feeling as they landed on her skin.
Because of YOU, Grace now sleeps without that fear.
In this region of Kenya, where you’ve chosen to make a difference, the statistics are staggering. Half of all mosquitoes carry the malaria parasite. With just two bites—something that could happen in mere minutes—a child like Grace faces life-threatening illness.
But tonight, as you read this, Grace sleeps peacefully under the protective shield YOUR $5 provided.
Can you picture it? The soft white mesh glowing in the moonlight that filters through the dormitory window. The sound of Grace’s steady breathing, uninterrupted by the panic of swatting at mosquitoes. The cool night air that can flow through the fine mesh while keeping deadly insects out.
This is the gift of security YOU have given.
“I check my net every day,” Grace demonstrates, holding a section up to catch the last rays of sunlight, her small fingers stretched wide to create tension in the fabric. “If I find even a tiny hole—” she brings her face close to the mesh, her breath creating a small fog on an imaginary tear, “I tell right away.”
Grace knows what you may not—that these life-saving barriers are surprisingly fragile. A small snag from a bunk bed frame, a pencil accidentally poked through the mesh, or simply the wear and tear of daily use means each net lasts only about three months.
Your gift of $20 protects one child like Grace for an entire year.
When Grace kneels beside her bed each night, the rough concrete floor pressing against her knees, she includes YOU in her prayers.
As darkness falls completely over Ebenezer, dozens of white nets glow softly in the dormitories. Each one shelters a child. Each one represents a life protected.
Each one is YOUR love made visible.For Grace, the simple net you’ve provided isn’t just bedtime protection—it’s the difference between life and death. It’s her chance to grow up, to learn, to become the teacher she dreams of being someday.
Thank you for being Grace’s guardian.
With grateful hearts.
*"Grace" is a pseudonym used to protect the privacy of this aspiring child while honestly sharing the challenges faced by many children in the Kenyan region we serve.