Story number 1 for 3 Jan 2002

(Argentina)–Topping the news, Argentina’s newest president is facing trial by fire. The country’s fifth president in two weeks, Eduardo Duhalde (doo-WALL-day) , was sworn in Wednesday amidst calls for popular election. Evangelical Baptist Mission’s Barry Courts spoke to us from Argentina’s capital, Buenos Aires. He says there are more questions than answers. “There’s still a lot of uncertainty as to what will happen. The people are upset and tired of corrupt politicians. The economic situation over the last number of years has gone from bad to worse. Forty-percent of Argentines are living below the poverty level.” Courts says their work has been heavily impacted by the difficulties. ‘We have people not only suffering economically, but also suffering physically. We share over and over with them the fact that if we did not have Jesus Christ, in whom we could trust, if we did not have our eyes upon Jesus, then there really would not be any hope.” Courts says just last week, they established an Argentine relief fund to ease the poverty for families they’re helping.