Story number 1 for 7 Mar 2003

(China)–We begin today in China where a Christian relief organization is mobilizing to help the victims of last week’s powerful earthquake. More than 250 people were killed and thousands were left homeless in the harsh winter conditions in the northwestern part of the country. Food For The Hungry’s President, Ben Homan, describes the scene. “Some 500,000 Chinese (are) affected by the quake. Many villages (are) destroyed. This kind of a remote place, it’s very difficult to get relief, but it’s one of the things that we’ve committed ourselves to at Food For the Hungry is to make sure that the people of the Xinjiang Province know that they’re cared for, they’re remembered and the God loves them.” Homan is hoping to raise 75-thousand dollars to help. He says this enables them to do more than physical assistance. “Disaster situations, wherever (they are) in the world — the physical presence of someone who cares — that becomes a very powerful opportunity for moving on and talking about other issues that come up.”