Adventist News: Pacific edition (updated)

ANN reports:

Seventh-day Adventist Church leaders in Northern Asia held their mid-year Executive Committee meeting in the Democratic People’s Republic of North Korea last month, the first such meeting there since the country closed its borders in 1953.

• Pastor finally receives contact from his family in Myanmar,
• ADRA provides assistance to 12 thousand China earthquake victims,
• The Sydney Adventist Hospital finds new treatments to assist cancer patients,
• The leader of the South Pacific Division met with pastors to offer help,
• The actor who played Jesus in the movie “Matthew” has agreed to have his portrait painted,
• New Adventist congregations have been started in New Caledonia.

ADRA loses an employee in the Burma cyclone:

The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) regretfully bids farewell to April Win, an ADRA Myanmar employee who died during the devastating cyclone that hit Myanmar on May 2 and 3, which left more than 130,000 dead or missing and as many as 2.5 million homeless.

Although the body of April Win has not yet been found, her family has confirmed her death in the disaster.

“In a tragedy that has affected so many, the loss of one of our own makes this disaster even more personal, both for me and for the entire ADRA family,” said Charles Sandefur, president of ADRA International, shortly after hearing the news.

“To the grieving family, know that our hearts and our prayers are with you throughout this time of loss,” he added. “April was our colleague and will be greatly missed.”

On Tuesday, May 27, President Sandefur led the observance of a minute of silence in remembrance of Ms. Win during a large assembly meeting at the ADRA World Headquarters.

Here are some stories of ADRA relief work in aftershock prone China:

On May 27, an 18-member health team of physicians, nurses, and a counselor arrived from the Hong Kong Adventist Hospital and began work in Aba Tibetian and Qiang Prefecture, Sichuan Province. The team is providing first-aid, infection control, and psychological support to survivors, and is expected to remain on site for nine days. During this time the team will distribute 1.5 tons of medicines worth US$15,000. The total value of this medical intervention, supplied by the Hong Kong Adventist Hospital, is valued at US$56,500.

In May 27, two aftershocks, measuring 5.4 and 5.7 on the Richter scale, shook the provinces of Sichuan and Shaanxi, injuring an additional 63 people and destroying 420,000 additional homes.

UPDATE:

Iraqi President invites Adventists and other Christians to dinner,

Lost video evangelism contacts re-united,

Young Alumni of the Year winner demonstrates his guitar skills,

A Brisbane based soup kitchen dishes up Bible studies for the homeless,

Child preachers share their faith at the Children’s Ministry Expo on Fiji.