Preventing An Epidemic Series

James 5:13-20

13Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. 14Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. 16Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.

17Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. 18Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops. 19My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back, 20remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins.

What is an epidemic?

An epidemic is a disease that appears as new cases in the population in a period of time at a rate that substantially exceeds what is "expected," based on recent experence.

Webster defines it as “affecting or tending to affect a disproportionately large number of individuals within a population, community, or region at the same time”

1918-1919, a fifth of the worlds population was infected with influenza. This pandemic killed 675K Americans, 10 times more than died in WWI (over 20M worldwide).

Malaria now infects some 300 million people each year, killing at least 2 million children and adults. Two children die of malaria every minute.

The World Health Organization estimated that, worldwide, between 2.8 and 3.5 million people with AIDS died in 2004.

With modern Science and all, how can this be?

Even when medicine is available, the people who need them most often don’t receive them. Sometimes the cost is too high. In other cases—during war or after natural disasters—distribution systems break down just at the worst possible time, as infections are spreading.

What is the major cause of an epidemic?

The number one cause of a disease leading to an epidemic is an interuption in the environment.

What is the potential of an epidemic occurring due to the disater in Louissiana and Mississippi?

“Flood waters and stagnant sewage are a breeding ground for the rats, rodents, and mosquitoes that transmit diseases such as the Hepatitis A, Cholera, Typhoid, and other viruses. Local supplies of vaccines, unprepared for this natural disaster will not be sufficient,” states Dr. Jose Luis Soto, the nation’s leading medication and pharmacy expert.

Cholera is an infectious disease of the gastrointestinal tract caused by the Vibrio cholerae bacterium. Being exposed to water contaminated by sewage typically spreads these bacteria. Symptoms include diarrhea, abdominal cramps, nausea, vomiting, and dehydration. The Cholera antibiotics must be provided as quickly as possible after exposure to prevent this potentially life-threatening condition.

Another disease that is threatening Hurricane Katrina victims, due to contaminated water, is Hepatitis A, which is an inflammatory viral disease of the liver with a short incubation period that has caused many deaths, primarily in children. The Hepatitis A vaccine must be applied immediately to anyone who has made contact with stagnant waters because even people without symptoms have probably been infected.

Other potential diseases due to the mosquito increase:

Mataria, dengue fever, yellow fever, West Nile Virus

We need to pray for the hurricane victoms and the continued potential threat. The storm may be over but there are still dangers to face.

Aftermath of A Hurricane:

1. Dead bodies and raw sewage in the water

2. Injured people that need care

3. Homeless need shelter

4. Hungry need feed

5. Naked need clothes

6. Hurting due to the loss of a loved one

7. Potential outbreak of disease

The same holds true for the church. Just because we’ve stayed the course through the storm, doesn’t mean that our work is over and that it’s smooth sailing from now on. There are potential dangers that need to be dealth with.

(Matthew 25:31-46)

Church Storm Aftermath

1. People are dead in the sewage of sin

2. Others have been injured by sin and need care

3. Many don’t have a church to call home

4. They are spiritually starving

5. They need to be clothed in righteousness

6. They are hurting because of the lostness of a loved one

7. Potential outbreak of lawlessness, sin

What do we do to prevent such an epidemic?

This is what the Center for Disease Control (CDC) says could be done to help.

Educate, illiminate standing water, develop medicine

Preventative medicine – basic hygiene