Story number 1 for 11 Sep 2001

(Malawi)–Topping the news, World Vision International says severe food shortages are affecting large parts of Malawi. The food crisis was brought on by heavy flooding at the beginning of the year, followed by a severe drought and the resulting poor harvests in large parts of the country. WVI’s Robert Michel (MIH-kul) describes the situation. “It’s about six to eight weeks before things really turn bad, and then we have a famine and it’s probably too late to start with the distribution of the food. So, the sooner we start distributing and we start transporting, the better for everybody.” Michel says they readying supplies to help. He adds that there is an open door for the Gospel because: “World Vision is known as the Christian aid organization throughout Malawi, throughout Zambia and throughout Zimbabwe. So, whenever there is need, the people will come to us, they will ask us not just to help them, but they want our staff members to pray with them in the field.”