Syria Crisis: Five Years Later
March 2016 marks fives years since the Syrian civil war began. Since then, almost 500,000 people have died as violence rages and tears the country to pieces. Millions more have become refugees, strangers in their own land, forced to desperately seek refuge in foreign lands. The crisis continuing to unfold is the worst humanitarian disaster of our time, according […]
Cycling for Syria
Between 7-9 March, 41 cyclists participated in the Queenstown Classic in New Zealand, a cycling fundraising event organised by 25000spins to raise money for charity. Of these, 26 fundraised for ADRA to help Syrian refugee children attend school in Beirut, Lebanon where they have escaped the Syrian war with their families. Glenn Townend, president of the Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) church […]
Vanuatu: Sweet Potatoes Arrive Just in Time
We stopped at the roadside market to buy some fresh coconuts and have a chat to the women. On offer was steamed corn, young coconuts for drinking, yams still covered with dark black earth, and lots and lots of crabs wrapped in green leaves slowly waving their claws in the air. I am traveling with […]
Vanuatu: One Year Later
The village is peaceful, washing drying in the afternoon sun. It’s too hot to do anything much other than find a place in the shade, hopefully with a breeze. John Andre is sitting on a chair outside his kitchen. He looks a little uncomfortable, as he has a lapel mike attached to his shirt. He […]
Fiji: Distributions & Needs Assessments Continue
More than 1,000 families have received food and hygiene kits in Fiji after distributions by the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA). Food packs containing rice, lentils, tuna, sugar and biscuits were given to 501 families in Ra Province, one of the worst hit areas, along the northern coast of Viti Levu, Fiji’s main island. […]
Fiji: The Eye of the Cyclone
It was early in the afternoon on Saturday February 20. George and his family had just returned from church up the road in Naqia village on the eastern side of Viti Levu, Fiji’s main island. They knew that Cyclone Winston was on its way, but like many they were taken by surprise when it arrived. […]