Linda

What do you think the top global killer diseases are? Cancer? AIDS? Heart problems? In the United States, we don't think about malaria much. We have that luxury because malaria was eradicated in the states decades ago. However, the developing world isn't quite so fortunate -- malaria is still a huge problem here, and tops Mozambiques chart for national killers.

A few months ago, a new girl called Linda started living with the family next door to mine. "She's staying here a while, because her mother's sick with malaria," my friend Páscoa told me. A couple of days passed, then a couple of weeks. A while later, the whole family left unexpectedly for a weekend. Upon their return, I asked where they had gone. "We were at a funeral," Páscoa said, "Linda's mother died."

That's how it came to be that Linda permanently moved in next door. I'm really sad about her mom, but I'm also happy that she moved here because Linda is one awesome kid. She's always laughing, smiling, cracking jokes...  she likes to draw pictures to decorate my living room wall and can't eat enough peanut butter.

When Linda got sick a few weeks later, I wasn't too worried. Kids are always getting sick and getting better again. But after a few days, Linda didn't seem to be getting any better. They took her to the health center and confirmed malaria. Unfortunately, there was no medicine available for a week, so Linda had no choice but to wait.

I have never seen a more startling transformation. Within a few days, gone was the girl who liked to chase Poppy around the complex. She was replaced by a ghost of Linda, tiny and shriveled, curled up on the mat and barely even recognizing the outside world. She slept for hours on end. When she was awake, she did not talk or eat or smile. When I left for my conference last week, I wasn't sure if Linda was going to be here when I got back. I hoped.

This is the reality of malaria. It's an epidemic plaguing Africa, decimating the population and causing serious impediment to efforts in development. It kills hundreds of thousands of people -- most of them children in Africa -- every year. It's terrorizing Africa. It's part of life here.

Thankfully, when I walked into the teachers complex a few days ago after getting back from my trip, a happy and healthy Linda bounded up to say hi, smiling and chattering just like she used to. I was so incredibly relieved.

This story has a happy ending. This is at least one child malaria didn't take from us. Unfortunately, a huge number of other children, just as deserving of life, are not so lucky.

Linda (Center)

Today is World Malaria Day. This post is part of Stomp Out Malaria's Blog About Malaria Month.