INTERNATIONAL AID SENDING MEDICINE, FOOD TO MOZAMBIQUE
SPRING LAKE, Michigan (Wednesday, March 15, 2000) -- "There are over 300,000 still in refugee camps in Mozambique, almost 2,000 still stranded in isolated pockets and the death total could climb into the thousands. Almost 150 schools have been destroyed. There are many reports of malaria and some cholera. When the floods started there was an initial report of 300 cases of malaria in one camp, but today it has jumped to 4,905. There could be an epidemic of malaria.
"There are so many people who are hurting from the worst flood in the country's history. The people of Mozambique need our help and compassion."
Sonny Enriquez, Disaster Relief Coordinator at International Aid, filed that report from Maputo, Mozambique, earlier this week. He is spending two weeks surveying the needs in the hardest hit areas of Mozambique, which was struck by devastating floods in February. The floods have left 1 million people homeless. But help is on the way! International Aid, a Christian relief, development and training agency based in Spring Lake, Michigan, is sending two major shipments of relief supplies in the next few days. The items include water purification tablets, hygiene kits, medicine, blankets, baby food and oral rehydration salts. The oral rehydration salts will help cholera victims replace body fluids.
Also, International Aid is coordinating an airlift of supplies from South Africa to Mozambique. The relief items include vaccine for cholera, vitamins and infant nutritional supplements.
Enriquez says he met a pastor in a refugee camp who had spent 48 hours stranded in a treetop while waters raged below him.
"Pastor Samuel was stranded in a tree while his wife and family were stranded on the roof of their home," he says. "The waters had risen so fast they didn't have time to evacuate. They all prayed and basically were ready to die. But when the waters receded the following day, Samuel got down from the tree and carried his family to safety. And they thanked the Lord for answering their prayers."
Enriquez adds that a critical prayer request is that the waters continue to recede so the people can plant their crops. If the people can't plant their seeds in the next two weeks, Mozambique could soon face a major food crisis.
International Aid is currently accepting monetary donations to cover shipping costs and the purchase of medicines. No donations of food items or clothing are being accepted at this time Credit card donations may be made by calling the International Aid hot line at 1-800-251-2502. Checks should be made out to International Aid and marked "Disaster Relief." Checks may be sent to: International Aid, 17011 W. Hickory, Spring Lake, MI 49456. To donate online, visit the International Aid web site at
For 20 years, International Aid has been bringing health and hope to countries throughout Africa - including the Sudan, Kenya and Nigeria -- through shipments of desperately needed relief goods and missionary assistance. International Aid's Christian Eye Ministry clinics are currently serving the 1.5 million people of Ghana's central region. Sonny Enriquez will be available for interviews when he returns from Mozambique on March 21. Also, pictures and videotapes of the stricken area will be available. Please contact Jerry Dykstra at 1-800-968-7490 for more information.