Think Earth Day, Act Locally

After [Jesus] said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” John 20:20-22

My best friend in the Boy Scouts was Scott. Scott suffered from asthma, and I remember waking up at night while on campouts to find Scott sitting in the corner of the tent gasping for breath in raspy gulps. You can really begin to appreciate how easily and automatically most of us breathe when you see someone fighting for every breath.

The closest feeling I can imagine to an asthma attack comes from childhood swimming contests. One game that I would play would be to sit with others on the bottom of the pool’s deepest end, and see who could hold their breath the longest. Several times I waited a few seconds too long to begin my ascent. I would begin to panic and franticly swim, forgetting how deep the water was, fighting the will to gulp a big “breath” of water.

Earth Day is April 22nd. Some churches will recognize the Sunday before as Earth Day Sunday. While most Earth Day observances will focus on global warming or reducing our carbon footprints, I suggest a congregation consider their microenvironments of church and home and focus and think about asthma. It is timely also in that May is Asthma Awareness Month.

According to the American Public Health Association, “…asthma is the most common chronic childhood disease in America ...” It is also a health disparity disproportionately affecting African Americans and Hispanics. Both the American Lung Association and the Environmental Protection Agency advise that asthmatics often have environmental triggers that exacerbate asthma attacks. To minimize the number of attacks, one should reduce the presence and exposure to those irritants.

Here are a few things congregations can do in support of asthmatics:

1) Both the American Lung Association and the Environmental Protection Agency provide lists of environment triggers from heavy perfumes and smoke, to pet dander and cockroaches. Perform an environmental review of your facility and look for ways to reduce the asthma triggers in your facility. Encourage your membership to do the same within their homes.

2) Since the medication regimens for asthmatics can be critical in controlling the disease, pair elderly members of your congregation with appropriate volunteers who will sort their daily/weekly medications to better ensure compliance.

3) Encourage members who are having trouble affording their asthma medications to consult their medical practitioner for assistance. Sometimes less expensive alternatives can be prescribed. If this is not the case, many pharmaceutical companies provide compassionate-use medications for income-qualified people.

4) Learn about the program Not One More Life which partners with faith communities in Atlanta, Georgia to provide asthma education and screening. See if there are local initiatives or professional groups in your area offering similar support.

Being a good neighbor can take many forms. Consider expressing neighborliness this year by organizing a little spring cleaning around your building and by educating your congregation on the management of asthma and the prevention of asthma attacks.

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