Three weeks after the Asia tsunami disaster, the death toll is now estimated at more than 159,000, a figure that is expected to rise to over 189,000, with some 24,000 still missing. Some 2.2 million people have been displaced while over 1 million others are believed to be homeless. These figures are also expected to increase.
St. Albans, England, United Kingdom
The numbers are going up every minute -- literally -- for the roster of people contracting HIV/AIDS. Globally, 11 people contract HIV every minute and, every minute, six die from AIDS.
Silver Spring, Maryland, United States
A different style of public outreach has brought in dozens of visitors, including many who do not regularly attend any church, to special Seventh-day Adventist services in Holland's largest Northern city.
Groningen, Netherlands
"Let's Talk...Again" Ready For Distribution Worldwide "Let's Talk...Again" -- an hour-long, unscripted conversation between Seventh-day Adventist world church president Pastor Jan Paulsen and Adventist young people is being made available on DVD. The office of the world church president announced the release of the DVD Jan. 5. The event was broadcast from Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan, in the United States in September 2004 during which Pastor Paulsen answered wide-ranging questions from students. "Let's Talk ... Again" is the second in a series of conversations between the president and young people. The first was a conversation between the president and high school students held in August of 2003.
Silver Spring, Maryland, United States
For those who have always wanted to study the origins of the Biblical Sabbath in other parts of world beyond North America, comes a new study guide that explores Sabbath-keeping in Africa. Some 800 ministers of the Seventh-day Adventist Church were among the first to receive copies of the study guide for the book "Sabbath Roots: the African Connection" at Oakwood College in Alabama, United States, in December 2004.
Silver Spring, Maryland, United States
Battling seasickness, 14 people traveled by boat for seven days from Kiribati to Fiji -- a distance of 1,256 miles (1,092 nautical miles or 2,022 km) -- to attend the first-ever South Pacific Adventist youth congress, outside of Australia or New Zealand. They were among the 1,800 who attended the six-day congress starting Dec. 30, at the FMF Dome in Suva on the island of Fiji to share, serve and celebrate diversity of cultures.
Suva, Fiji
Charles Sandefur, president of the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) International is in Sri Lanka visiting sites affected by the devastating tsunami. Sandefur arrived with an airlift, provided by "Heart to Heart," that included 40 tons of medical supplies, water filtration systems, and drinking water to be distributed by ADRA.
Silver Spring, Maryland, United States
As of Jan. 5, the death toll in countries affected by the December tsunami in South Asia has gone beyond 155,000 with tens of thousands still missing. Indonesia suffered the most deaths, with fatalities surpassing 100,000. Hundreds of thousands of others have been severely affected physically, psychologically and through a loss of livelihood.
Jakarta, Indonesia
Nine Seventh-day Adventists -- three children and six adults -- are known to be among the fatalities in 20 congregations located around the Bay of Bengal, part of the South Asia region struck by a deadly tsunami on Dec. 26, 2004, church leaders report. Families in each of the 20 congregations suffered severe property and business losses as well.
Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
"In the midst of this pain and suffering, these people are not forgotten by God. Each one is precious to Him," said Pastor Jan Paulsen, world president of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, in a statement commenting on the Dec. 26, 2004, tsunami that struck Southern Asia which he called "an unprecedented humanitarian disaster."
Silver Spring, Maryland, United States