Story number 3 for 7 Nov 2001

(Philippines)–The presence of Abu Sayyaf Muslim rebels in the Philippines was enough to cause medical missionaries to watch their backs, but not enough to keep them at home. Christians in Action’s Doug Sutherland says for many of their short-term medical personnel, not going was not an option. “We provide medical clinics for the poor in many different areas of the Philippines, and the purpose of the medical clinics is really to use them as a platform for evangelism. Out of eight-thousand patients, about 4,770 people made professions of faith in Christ” However, Sutherland says security issues are taking their toll on future outreaches. “We anticipate a reduction in the amount of volunteers that we’ll have because, in the past, we’ve relied heavily on U-S military from Japan. They will not be able to participate this year because of security. So, we need doctors, dentists, we need nurses form the United States in much greater numbers than we’ve had in the past.”