Story number 1 for 21 Feb 2002

(Madagascar)–Topping the news, election turmoil in Madagascar and a general strike are costing the country’s economy up to 14-million dollars a day. In light of that, humanitarian groups working in the area are seeing increasing financial need. American Leprosy Missions’ Matthew Maury says area pastors are providing funding and training within the leprosy population. “They are the ones who are helping with the agricultural skills and the prevention and disabilities treatment and through that they are also having opportunity to hold church services and prayer and do one-on-one counseling with these families so again they can look into both their physical and spiritual needs.” Maury says there are eight to nine-thousand new cases of leprosy each year in that country. “We’re hoping to expand our ministry and our outreach there because the needs are so great and there aren’t a lot of other organizations that are looking at how to minister to people who are affected by leprosy in Madagascar.”