~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ NOTES FROM THE VALLEY - Special Edition "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for you are with me." Psalm 23. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Dear Friends and Family, This special edition provides prayer points for our leaders based upon the growing anthrax threat in our nation's capital and provides what I hope you will find to be helpful information on the disease itself and what precautions we can take. Although the good people at Oakstone don't mention it in their article, prayer is the first precaution we ALL need to take. Our regular weekly edition, entitled "Why Did God Let This Happen?" will be posted later today. Stay strong in spirit, bold in praise, and humble in prayer. Your brother in Christ, Steve Hall ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CAPITOL PRAYER FOCUS, 10/25/01 Prayer Points From Washington, D.C. ++ANTHRAX THREAT Lift up our nation's leaders and all who work in and around Capitol Hill. Congress has already been targeted by terrorists with anthrax, and more attacks are likely to come. Pray for our leaders. Pray for the staff members who must open the thousands of pieces of mail that come to the Hill every day. Pray for postal workers who deliver the mail. ++ANTHRAX VICTIMS Lift up the families of Joseph Curseen and Thomas Morris, Jr., two postal workers who died this week of what is suspected to be anthrax inhalation. Pray for their families. Pray for others who have been exposed to anthrax. Lift up the thousands of workers who are right now fearing that they may have been exposed to anthrax. Pray also that military and Congressional officials will reach a decision on decontamination methods for Hill offices. ++PRAY FOR THE PRESIDENT Continue to lift up President Bush and Vice President Cheney, their families and their staffs. We MUST be vigilant in prayer for our leaders. As the bombing campaign continues in Afghanistan, the hatred toward America will likely increase among the terrorist factions. Take time right now to pray! ++NEW SECURITY MEASURES ON HILL The Capitol Police are expected to implement new security procedures that would require visitors to the Capitol to pass through screening equipment before entering the building. Pray for God's protection over our nation's Capitol building. It is one of the most recognized symbols of our nation and will continue to be a likely target. ++ GUARD MAY RELIEVE CAPITOL HILL POLICE The Capitol Hill Police force is already stretched to the point of exhaustion by the increased security responsibility resulting from the recent attacks. Some are calling for the National Guard to be brought in to relieve the Capitol Hill Police. Pray for our police force on Capitol Hill, in Washington, D.C., and across the nation. + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + Established by Dr. D. James Kennedy, the Center for Christian Statesmanship is a non-partisan, inter-denominational ministry outreach of Coral Ridge Ministries to our nation's leaders. Our goals are spiritual outreach, ministry training, and restoring a vision for Christian statesmanship in our land. Questions on the prayer campaign? E-mail compass@.... Please specify "Capitol Prayer Focus" in the subject line. Or, visit our web site: http://www.statesman.org ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Special Report - Information on Anthrax Courtesy of Oakstone Wellness www.oakstonewellness.com In this Issue . Anthrax: Arm Yourself With the FactsThe Three Types of Anthrax Can Antibiotics Protect Against Anthrax? Important Facts about Cipro and Other Antibiotics A Message from the Postmaster General about Handling Suspicious Mail Anthrax: Arm Yourself With the Facts The best defensive step you can take is educating yourself about anthrax, how it is spread and available treatments. Facts you should know: · Anthrax is caused by exposure to spores of Bacillus anthracis bacterium. · Anthrax is not spread through person-to-person contact, only by direct contact with spores. · Symptoms of anthrax vary depending on the type of exposure, but they usually occur within a week of coming into contact with the bacterium. · Exposure to anthrax does not mean a person will get sick. The greater the exposure to anthrax, the more likely a person will develop the disease, but going on antibiotics right away can cure it. Three Types of Anthrax How anthrax spores enter the body determines how the disease develops and what course of treatment is necessary. Types of anthrax: Inhalation anthrax, which killed one person from American Media Inc., in Florida, is the most serious type. It develops when a person inhales thousands of anthrax spores and the bacteria produces toxins inside the body. Symptoms start out as a flu-like illness, and progress to cause serious breathing difficulty and shock. Anyone known to have inhaled anthrax spores, or who is diagnosed with inhalation anthrax, should start antibiotic treatment as soon as possible to kill the anthrax germs before they begin producing toxins. In many cases, inhalation anthrax is fatal. Cutaneous anthrax, the type developed by one employee at NBC News in New York City, accounts for about 95% of anthrax cases. It happens when the bacteria enters the body through a cut or scrape. Cutaneous anthrax causes an itchy, red bump, which soon ulcerates and turns black at the center. Treatment can cure this form of anthrax, even after the skin rash has developed. Intestinal anthrax is not a high risk during a biological attack. It occurs after a person has eaten the meat of an infected animal, and causes severe inflammation of the intestinal tract. Symptoms include nausea, loss of appetite, vomiting, fever, abdominal pain and severe diarrhea. It is fatal in 25%-60% of cases. Can Antibiotics Protect Against Anthrax? Doctors usually treat anthrax with an antibiotic called ciprofloxacin (Cipro), which will kill the anthrax bacteria even if the strain is resistant to other drugs. Other antibiotics, such as levofloxacin (Levaquin), gatifloxacin (Tequin), moxifloxacin (Avelox) and doxycycline (Doryx, Vibramycin), are also effective against the disease. Even penicillin can kill anthrax, unless the strain of bacteria is resistant to it. According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), it is not necessary for people to keep a supply of Cipro or other antibiotics on hand. In fact, taking Cipro when you are not sick can cause side effects and create antibiotic resistance so if you do get sick, antibiotic treatment may not work as well. Important Facts About Cipro Beware of websites that offer to sell Cipro once you have filled out an online questionnaire. Online sites often endanger customers' health by not sending complete instructions and warnings along with a prescription, and by sending drugs that are impure or of unknown origin. In addition, if you have an adverse reaction to a drug purchased online, you won't have a pharmacist or doctor available to help. It's important to remember that Cipro is a strong drug, and should not be taken unless anthrax exposure is suspected and the drug is administered by a healthcare professional. Despite reports that a nationwide run on Cipro has depleted stores of the drug, the CDC reports that it can deliver emergency antibiotics to any U.S. site in the case of a biological attack. The federal government has enough Cipro to treat 2 million cases of anthrax, and is taking steps to increase that stockpile to treat another 10 million. Bayer Corporation, the drug's manufacturer, is speeding up production to meet demand. A Message from the Postmaster General about Handling Suspicious Mail Next week, every household in America, every rental Post Office box and all military APO and FPO addresses will receive a postcard. It has a message from the Postmaster General and information on what to look for if you suspect a letter or package may contain a harmful biological agent. What should make me suspect a piece of mail? · It's unexpected or from someone you don't know. · It's addressed to someone no longer at your address. · It's handwritten and has no return address or bears one that you can't confirm is legitimate. · It's lopsided or lumpy in appearance. · It's sealed with excessive amounts of tape. · It's marked with restrictive endorsements such as "Personal" or "Confidential." · It has excessive postage. What should I do with a suspicious piece of mail? · Don't handle a letter or package that you suspect is contaminated. · Don't shake it, bump it, or sniff it. · Put the mail piece in a plastic bag, or cover it with any available material. · Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water-don't use disinfectant, bleach or other harsh cleansers on your skin. · Notify local law enforcement authorities. Share these tips with any one who handles mail, and make sure they know to notify the police if they come across suspicious mail. (Sources: Postmaster General, USA Today, Consumer Reports, National Institutes of Health, Centers for Disease Control & Prevention) ________________________________________________ Copyright © 1998-2001 by Stephen J. Hall - Weekly letters of encouragement to Christians written by Stephen J. Hall unless otherwise indicated. Notes from the Valley and Humor from the Valley are meant to brighten your day and encourage you along the way. Most of "Notes" and "Humor" are a collection of items provided to me by subscribers and friends. Credit is given to both the contributor and to the true author, where known. If you are blessed by them, please feel free to make copies and pass them along to others. If you have something you'd like to contribute to a future edition or would like to ask us a question or make a comment, please contact us at: sossteve@... ________________________________________________ The LORD is my light and my salvation - whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life - of whom shall I be afraid? When evil men advance against me to devour my flesh, when my enemies and my foes attack me, they will stumble and fall. Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then will I be confident. Psalm 27:1-3 (NIV)