wfn.org | ADRA Delivers Food To Displaced Timorese

["Christian B. Schäffler" <APD_Info_Schweiz@compuserve.com>]

October 1, 1999
Adventist Press Service (APD)
Christian B. Schaeffler, Editor-in-chief
Fax +41-61-261 61 18
APD@stanet.ch
http://www.stanet.ch/APD
CH-4003 Basel, Switzerland

ADRA Delivers Food To Displaced Timorese

Jakarta, Indonesia. (APD) The Adventist Development and 
Relief Agency (ADRA) finished its first distribution of food 
parcels to thousands of internally displaced people (IDPs) of 
East Timor, and continues an extensive assessment of the 
greatest needs of the suffering people.

"Many of the 200,000 IDPs live in the open air, under the 
trees," explains Doli Situmeang, ADRA Indonesia director. 
"Many children have been separated from their parents. There 
aren't many men, as they were killed during the fighting. 
Yesterday, we saw a man telling the guard to help a woman 
who was about to deliver a baby."

Over the past weekend, more than 40 ADRA staff and 
volunteers helped to deliver 2,700 food parcels to IDP 
families. Each family parcel contained 11 pounds (five 
kilograms) of rice, 2.2 pounds (one kilogram) of green beans, 
four cans of fish, and one packet of milk. The parcels, valued 
at nearly US$13,000, were funded by ADRA's office in 
Australia.

"The volunteers, people of all ages, worked together all day 
and night for two days to prepare the parcels," adds 
Situmeang. "I estimate that they helped feed nearly 13,000 
people."

As ADRA continues extensive assessments of the IDPs' 
situation, it is apparent that the needs are still great. 
Situmeang reports that yesterday three children died of 
disease, making it evident that medical attention is needed 
right away.

ADRA, formed in 1956, is an independent, humanitarian 
agency established with the specific purpose of individual and 
community development and disaster relief in more than 120 
countries worldwide. ADRA International, based in Silver 
Spring, Maryland, is accepting monetary donations for the 
relief efforts in East Timor. (Editor: Beth Schaefer from ADRA 
for APD)