January 9 is a national day of mourning on the death of President Jimmy Carter. What a life and what a legacy.

I never met him, but he has been an influence in my life since I was a child. My parents were big fans of his – I think I even have a “Jimmy Carter Family Cookbook” that was handed down to me from that time. I didn’t understand politics then, but my dad talked about how he believed Carter was a genuinely good man, ethical. An atheist himself, he said that if all Christians were like Jimmy Carter, well, he might still be one, too.

There is so much to admire from Carter’s life, but the thing that continues to capture my imagination was his work to eradicate dracunculiasis, or the guinea worm, a parasite that infects humans. He knew he wanted to do meaningful work post-Presidency, so he consulted with experts around the world, asking them if there was a significant problem that could be completely solved if enough resources were allocated for it. The answer was the guinea worm – that with a combination of education, a special filtering drinking straw that was affordable enough to provide for every person in an infected area, and care for those afflicted, it could eventually be wiped out. President Carter often said he was hoping to outlive the last guinea worm. He didn’t, but the numbers are low enough, it should happen.

Farewell, President Carter. Thank you for your work to make the world better. Thank you for the inspiration of your life. And since you counted yourself as a Christian, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”