What in the World is Chikungunya?

Today I picked up malaria meds for Zach's trip to Uganda. It's a different brand then I've purchased for my daughter Aleah's various trips around the world, because in Uganda, malaria has become resistant to the usual medication.

Malaria.

Yellow Fever.

Typhoid.

African Sleeping Sickness.

Dengue (also known as break-bone fever)

Cholera.

I have a 1/2-inch-thick booklet from the doctor, entitled Health and Safety Information for Uganda. It contains all kinds of diseases and ways to reduce the chance of getting them. It lists diseases I've read about and ones I've never heard of - chikungunya, filariasis and leishmaniasis, to name a few.

Chikungunya? What's Chikungunya?

Does it have anything to do with chickens?

Am I crazy to send my youngest son to Africa? Maybe I should send him to soccer camp. That sounds safe.

Safe. It's a challenging sort of word. As parents we want our kids to be safe, but from the minute they take their first steps, we are encouraging our children to be independent and explore the world outside our arms. It's a world full of wonder and beauty, but also bumps and bruises. It's a place worth exploring. And sometimes it scares the bahjeebers out of me.

Yep, bahjeebers.

Zach's heart has been captured for Uganda since he watched a dvd two years ago about child soldiers. He was 13. When the opportunity arose to go on a mission trip there this summer, he was ready to go!

Although we've sent our other kids on mission trips, my husband and I have had many conversations about safety this time around. Maybe because Zach is our youngest. Or maybe because our list of things to worry about as parents has grown longer as we've gotten older.

Is it safe? Is it safe to put our son on a plane to Africa? How about on a plane at all? 315,000 pounds of fully-loaded metal hurdling through the air at 530-568mph. Definitely not safe.

Maybe on a boat? But then there's hurricanes, ice bergs, pirates and drownings to consider. (Did I mention that my worry list had gotten longer?)

Maybe we can just forgo all transportation of any kind.

Let's face it, we can only do so much to make our kids safe. Maybe there is another question we need to be asking:

Is it significant?

Significance: to have purpose and importance.

Significance. Purpose. The stuff dreams are made of. And seeing God-given dreams and purposes fulfilled in our kids is something that parenting is all about.

Gary Haugen, founder of International Justice Mission and author of Just Courage, writes, "According to Christ, significance is found in transforming people's lives through love. This is living a truly significant life."

He adds, "It seems we cannot rid ourselves of this primal, unquenchable yearning to make our lives matter. By divine hardwiring, we desperately want our lives to count - really, significantly count - for God's rescuing work in the world."

So here is my dilemma. I want my son to be safe. I want my son to live a significant, God-honoring life full of purpose. Sometimes these two statements are in conflict inside my heart.

What will I do?

I will put my son on an airplane on June 14. And then I will pray and put my son in the hands of God.

And that's a good place for him to be.