Story number 3 for 13 Nov 2001

(East Timor)–The United States is sending aid to East Timor to help the new nation still struggling to recover from years of violence. In the most recent uprisings, Habitat for Humanity’s Kim Moore says 85-percent of the buildings in the area were destroyed. The violence scattered thousands of refugees in the surrounding islands. “People are forced to live in, basically, bamboo huts, and some people don’t even have that much. They live underneath large trees and they don’t have any shelter. And, of course, the rainy season is coming so, it’s urgent that we get in there and be able to build.” Moore says in the uncertainty of the area provides a contrast to the unchanging hope of the Gospel. “Our work is the embodiment of God’s love and we’re able to show them that God loves them and help them to understand the Gospel of Jesus simply by hammering in nails and helping them build their home.” Moore says that along with the keys, Habitat workers also pray with the homeowners and give them a new Bible.