Mosquitoes, Mustard Seeds Have Huge Transformative Impact, So Do Our Readers

If you think you are too small to make a difference, you haven’t spent a night with a mosquito.

A well-known truth is that small things, insignificant things, can have a huge impact.

Growing up in Nigeria, we slept under mosquito nets in the early years. Later, our houses had screens. But even screens didn’t provide mosquito-proof protection.

As a high school student, I tried to keep a chameleon in my window to reduce the bug invasion. We spent a lot of time trying to avoid such a miniscule creature. I know from firsthand experience!

Having had malaria, I know the harm those insects can inflict.

The U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention reported, “In 2015, an estimated 214 million cases of malaria occurred worldwide and 438,000 people died, mostly children in the African Region.”

Mosquitos make a big difference in human survival and quality of life.

We are all aware that mosquitoes transmit the Zika virus, creating horrible damage among the unborn.

As the miniscule mosquito has a global impact, a tiny mustard seed grows into a mighty bush. Continuous drops of water fill a bucket.

Legendary basketball coach John Wooden reportedly said, “It’s the little details that are vital. Little things make big things happen.”

So much of EthicsDaily.com’s witness and work result from paying attention to the details, the little things.

And so much of what we are able to do depends on a lot of $25 gifts.

Here are some examples of what your gift could do for EthicsDaily.com:

• $18 is the typical charge for airport parking for a two-day trip.
• $25 buys a thumb drive.
• $45 allows us to submit “The Disturbances” to one film festival.
• $99 annually provides us the use of DropBox.
• $136 monthly covers our storage room rent, where we house DVDs and office records.
• $152 monthly pays the phone bill.
• $210 monthly ensures website hosting.
• $400 annually allows one staff member to register for the annual Baptist World Alliance gathering, where we build our global readership and network with goodwill Baptists around the world.
• $525 lets us buy an external hard drive to store documentary footage.
• $600 annually covers our accounting service bill.
• $700 covers an airline ticket, hotel and other expenses when one of our staff travels to a distant city for a screening of “The Disturbances.”

Drop by drop, a monthly or annual gift fills the bucket, helping us advance the common good and equip churches.

“Thanks for 25 years of excellent resources, thoughtful commentary and timely articles,” wrote a donor last week after making a $100 online gift. “The Baptist Center for Ethics and EthicsDaily.com have been a reliable voice of reason and faith for so many of us.”

He said, “Congratulations on 25 years. Looking forward to the next 25. Great job!”

We hope his tribe will increase! We hope others see our value and are grateful enough to make a gift.

Robert Parham is executive editor of EthicsDaily.com and executive director of its parent organization, the Baptist Center for Ethics. Follow him on Twitter at RobertParham1 and friend him on Facebook. Order his new book, “The Disturbances.” It is available as either a paperback or an e-book.