Story number 2 for 3 Jun 2003

(Algeria)–Meanwhile, nerves continue to fray under the aftershocks that are reminders of a deadly earthquake that struck Algeria 11 days ago. More than 2,600 people were killed and more than 10,000 others injured in last month’s earthquake. Tens of thousands are now sleeping outdoors. Food For The Hungry’s Beth Allen. “We need to make sure that people can be kept alive, and that’s why we’re doing food, water and blankets, until they are able to return to living in permanent structures. The government announced a program to rebuild 20-thousand houses, but that will take some years for all of that to come to fruition.” Allen says the reconstruction phase gives their national partners a way to exemplify the hope of Christ. “You think about Christianity, or think about Christian relief, as being just a matter of taking care of the situation when it occurs. But in reality, Christians can do a lot in their community by preparing and by trying to prevent disasters before they happen.”