Story number 1 for 31 Jan 2002

(Afghanistan)–Our newscast begins today in Afghanistan, where stark contrast stands between today’s war rubble and the lush agricultural center that once was. Food shortages are hitting crisis proportions and the winter has added to the problems. From Herat, World Vision International’s Phil Maher tells us what they’ve been doing. “We finished, just last week, distributing food to 300-thousand needy people. That’s about 28-hundred tons. Now, we are working in northern Afghanistan, where there is quite a severe food shortage.” Maher says since the Taliban ouster, the people have responded warmly to Christian agencies who are meeting physical and spiritual needs. However, there are still enormous obstacles to overcome. “Pray for the World Vision Staff, pray for our national staff that are here, and then, as well, for the logistics that World Vision is involved in, because working here, in a country with no infrastructure…it’s a very rugged place and it’s a real challenge for World Vision to work here.”