ADRA Distributes Medical Relief in Critical Areas of Sri Lanka Colombo/Sri Lanka | 31.12.2004 | ADRA The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) is distributing 30,000 pounds of medical and water purification supplies that were airlifted to Sri Lanka yesterday. The supplies, provided by AmeriCares, are being distributed by ADRA to inpatient hospitals and clinics in affected regions that have depleted their supplies aiding survivors. “These medical supplies are urgently needed by medical facilities in Sri Lanka,” said Frank Teeuwen, bureau chief for disaster preparedness and response
ADRA Continues Multi-Country Tsunami Response Silver Spring, Maryland/USA | 30.12.2004 | ADRA The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) is continuing its response in India, Thailand, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and the Andaman Islands to assist those affected by last Sunday’s earthquake and tsunami. ADRA's office in Sri Lanka is distributing World Health Organization emergency kits, which will provide a one-month supply of medicine for 90,000 people in Colombo. These three tons of medicines, provided through ADRA Germany, arrived with a team of medical specialists. Formula, valued
Adventist World Church: Paulsen Offers New Year's Greeting, Inspiration Silver Spring, Maryland/USA | 30.12.2004 | International "Give of your best for the Lord. Let us give Him every opportunity to use you and me," declared Pastor Jan Paulsen, world president of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, in a New Year's message for 2005 offered to the 25 million people who attend weekly worship in 203 countries and areas of the world. "You are the church, I want to thank you for what you bring to the ministry of the church, the service we try to give to the world," Pastor Paulsen told the Adventist world wide family of believ
ADRA Feeds 7,250 People Affected by Tsunami in India Tamil Nadu, India | 30.12.2004 | ADRA The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) office in India is providing food for 7,250 coastal inhabitants of Tamil Nadu for ten days, following the December 26 tsunami that struck their coastline. Food items include, rice, cooking oil, suji (cream of wheat), and drinking water. ADRA India, in cooperation with the Southeast India Union of Seventh-day Adventists, will identify critical areas affected by the tidal wave and provide meals to displaced and homeless inhabitants. Special con
Cambodia: Hundreds Attend Evangelistic Meetings in Majority Buddhist Country Phnom Penh, Cambodia | 29.12.2004 | International In a country that had no Seventh-day Adventist Church members just 10 years ago, hundreds attended a series of evangelistic meetings in Phnom Penh, Cambodia on December 27. This is believed to be the largest Adventist outreach initiative ever held in the Southeast Asian country. It is also the largest Christian event to be held in the majority Buddhist country in almost ten years, said Garth Anthony, president of the Adventist church in Cambodia. More than 100 buses transported Cambodians to
Southern Asia: Tsunami Kills Thousands, ADRA, Adventist Church Moves to Help Colombo, Sri Lanka | 29.12.2004 | International Nations in Southern Asia are reeling in the wake of a devastating tsunami that swamped coastlines from Indonesia to Africa December 26. Hundreds of fishing villages have been decimated, towns have been destroyed and many tourist resorts flooded. It is estimated that more than 100,000 people perished due to the crushing waves that struck following the 9.0 Richter scale earthquake with the epicentre near Northern Indonesia. Thousands more are feared dead, according to earlier reports. Sri Lank
ADRA International Commits Emergency Funds to Asia Quakes, Tsunamis Washington D.C./USA | 30.12.2004 | ADRA The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) International has committed US$500,000 of private funds as part of the agency’s initial response to the recent Asian earthquake and tsunamis that killed more than 123,000 and devastated the region. "At this time, ADRA is on the ground in Thailand, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, and India responding to and assessing the damages," said Frank Teeuwen, bureau chief for disaster preparedness and response for ADRA International. In Phuket Province, Thail
Adventist Global Mission Experts Meet, Discuss Cross-cultural Mission Sydney, Australia | 22.12.2004 | International With a focus on interacting with secular, post-modern people, Seventh-day Adventist mission experts and directors from the church's Global Mission study centers met in early December in Sydney, Australia. They reported on progress and challenges facing the centers and discussed future plans for Adventist relations with other faith communities. "The study centers were established by Global Mission to research and model methods of building bridges and reaching out to people from other faith an
China Readies Rules on 'Religious Freedom' Beijing, China | 22.12.2004 | Religious Liberty The People's Republic of China will implement a series of new rules on March 1. 2005, safeguarding religious freedom for those who worship in state-approved churches. The Xinhua News Agency and China Daily newspapers, both official government news sources, reported on these changes. The China Daily reports the regulations are "the first comprehensive ones of their kind concerning religious affairs promulgated by the Chinese Government," and are the result of a six-year development period. Th
US-Non-Combatant, Sentenced to Jail by U.S. Marine Corps Court-Martial Camp Lejeune, North Carolina/USA | 19.12.2004 | Religious Liberty APD A United States Marine Corps court-martial has sentenced a Marine, who came to a belief in non-combatancy shortly after signing a two-year re-enlistment, to seven months in jail, rather than separating him from the military. Observers say this is a highly unusual outcome for such a case, which is usually handled less drastically. Marine Corporal Joel David Klimkewicz, a native of Birch Run, Michigan, is married and has a 3-year-old daughter. He will be imprisoned, suffer a reduction
Adventist World Radio to Ring in the New Year with Turkish Broadcasts Binfield, Berkshire/UK | 19.12.2004 | Media Adventist World Radio (AWR) will start off the New Year airing programs in the Turkish language, which is the result of the combined effort of producers in Turkey and France, said Bert Smit, AWR Europe region director. "Initially, the programs will be available via AWR's direct-to-home Hotbird satellite service in Europe and via a live stream on the Internet," he added. AWR plans to start introducing the programs to local FM stations in Turkey as a public service later in the year. Broadcast
U.S. Air Crash Tragedy: Thousands Fill Memorial Service Dalton, Georgia/USA | 08.12.2004 | International Thousands gathered Tuesday for a memorial service for three officials of the Seventh-day Adventist Church who were killed last week when a church plane crashed in Tennessee. "Today is a sad occasion, but their families do not want you to mourn," said Kevin Costello, treasurer of the church's Georgia-Cumberland Conference. "Instead they have asked for us to focus on celebrating the rich, beautiful, and happy lives each man lived as we honor them together." Conference president David C. Cres
Plane Crash Claims Lives of Five U.S. Adventists, Including Three Administrators, One Director Collegedale, Tennessee/USA | 03.12.2004 | International A small plane crash took the lives of three administrators and a director of the Georgia-Cumberland Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, based in Calhoun, Georgia, as well as their pilot, just north of Collegedale, Tennessee., on December 2, at approximately 1:15 p.m. local time. The copilot of the aircraft survived. Killed were Pastor Dave Cress, 47, president; Pastor James H. Frost, 53, vice president of administration; Jamie Arnall, 29, director of communication; and Pastor Clay Farwell
Peru: Local Government Recognizes Adventist Pioneer Educator Lima/Peru | 02.12.2004 | International Manuel Z. Camacho, an indigenous Aymaran Seventh-day Adventist who pioneered education for indigenous peoples in the Puno, Peru region more than 100 years ago, was honored recently by regional government officials. The Lake Titicaca Adventist Mission accepted the recognition in memory of Camacho and pioneer Adventist missionaries to Peru, Fernando and Ana Stahl. Members from local institutions, businesses and government attended the ceremony that recognized outstanding persons. Camacho r
Adventist Radio Broadcast 'Voice of Prophecy' Celebrates 75 Years on Air Simi Valley, California/USA | 02.12.2004 | Media What began as a devotional on a single Los Angeles radio station, today circles the globe as the Voice of Prophecy. VOP, the Seventh-day Adventist Church's premiere radio outreach, celebrated it's 75th anniversary this year. "I'm just thrilled at what the Lord has done during these first 75 years," said Pastor E. Lonnie Melashenko, who for 12 years has been speaker/director of the international broadcast, based at the Adventist Media Center in a Los Angeles suburb. "We're excited about what
Bangladesh: Two School Children Killed as Boat Sinks With 22 Dhaka, Bangladesh | 02.12.2004 | International Two children were killed when a boat transporting students of the Southern Musuria Seventh-day Adventist school sank. Twenty other students survived, officials report. The accident occurred at approximately 8:30 a.m. on Nov. 24. After three days, searchers found the bodies of the young victims, ages 8 and 10. The cause of the accident is unknown. The teacher who piloted the craft left the village after residents attacked him. Local church leaders went to the nearby village, to visit
Adventist Center for Women Clergy at Andrews University Provides Support, Mentorship Berrien Springs, Michigan/USA | 02.12.2004 | International Addressing the need to provide for a growing enrollment of women in seminary classes, the Center for Women Clergy opened at Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan in the United States in October. "Obtaining professional degrees is equally important to women as to men, so attending seminary is a logical next step following college," says Dr. Patricia Mutch, vice president for academic administration at the university. "Many of these women are also professionals from other fields who
