Story number 1 for 1 May 2000

Ethiopia is where we begin today as eight million people face malnutrition. Three years of drought is causing the famine, which is being compared to 1984 where one-million people died. World Concern’s Tom LePage is in Africa and says a repeat of that death toll can be avoided. “There is a different government in place and they have a different attitude toward aid. There’s much more private aid going to private organizations. It is not being done on a bilateral or government to government basis as much. And, therefore, being able to target the people in the greatest need is much easier this time around.” However, it can’t be avoided if Christians don’t get involved. He says donations help keep people alive physically and spiritually. “We’ve contacts that would allow us to be present on the ground and to use local capacity to respond to the physical needs as well as put people in place that could share the Gospel in many different ways.”