It all started as a normal Sabbath—I went to church with my family, and we had lunch with friends. Then I received a phone call: “Get prepared. There are several thousand refugees approaching the Slovenian border.” There was never a question as to whether we would help. A few hours
It’s been three years, but Loubana’s children still have nightmares about the day their Syrian home was bombed. “I remember when I hid under the stairs when the bombs were falling,” says Nour, who was only 6 at the time. Loubana and her family had a good life in Syria.
As president of her village savings and loans (VSL) program, Estelle is a natural leader. Weekly meetings are orderly; small fines are issued for infractions such as tardiness, absence, or losing a key to the lockbox; and she keeps a watchful eye over every transaction as they are recorded in
It is crowded at the train station at Tabanovce as the refugees exit the train. Today they have crossed the border from Greece, where they arrived in Europe, and boarded the train at the first station in Macedonia. The few tents put up for shelters are quickly filled up, and
At one month old, Qamar has nowhere to call home. Her parents, Mustafa and Hala, are refugees who fled Syria to escape growing violence and the threat of terror that surrounded them. They left their home in Damascus two months before we met them. Hala gave birth to beautiful Qamar
On a given day, hundreds of refugees may trickle across borders or they may come in waves of thousands. Today, a group of fifty were crossing into Serbia from Bulgaria, so there was time for ADRA team members to make conversation. One volunteer spoke at length with a father named
Said is only 14, but has experienced hardships that no child should face. In Serbia, he shared his family’s story: “Mom and dad told us that we are going to Europe. We did not took anything with us, except of one spare clothe for each of us. They did not
On the first day of school, Jo walks down familiar streets. When he reaches the schoolhouse, it is no different than before. Fewer people lingering in the street, perhaps. Fewer children laughing on the front lawn. One year ago, the Ebola outbreak was a growing rumor in West Africa. It
Thirteen-year-old Samvel is an artist. He paints what he sees, and the picture becomes the scene. He paints what he imagines, and the colors and shapes blossom from the paper like lilies from a field. He has a keen eye and a sensitive spirit, and everyone agrees: Samvel is an
Placidia holds a new pair of shoes in her hands. Her shy smile has grown, and today the 6-year-old is practically beaming as she clutches the simple, black canvas slip-ons. These are the first shoes she has ever called her own. Placidia is the youngest of seven daughters. Her mother
ADRA Continues to Deliver AID at Ground Zero SILVER SPRING, MD (February 22, 2023) – A second major earthquake and dozens of strong aftershocks hit the devastated region of Syria and Türkiye (Turkey), resulting in additional deaths, injuries, and destruction, but the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) remains committed to
Rosalia Mbula has been waiting for the rain to plant her crops since 2020. She chuckles sarcastically as she recalls the last time her vegetable garden bloomed: “My most recent full harvest was in October of 2019. I grew 90 kg of cowpeas, 90 kg of pigeon peas, and 15
If you’ve been part of ADRA’s family for long, you know that we love water! Every single day, we see the life-saving power of water in the lives of people in every single place we work. World Water Day is March 22, but here are a few ways you can
As the United States observes a national holiday to honor a man who lived a life of service, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., ADRA staff members reflect on how his words and actions influenced their lives. Billy Andre: Never Indifferent Young Billy was walking home one day when he noticed
As we reflect on the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., we are reminded of the powerful impact one person can have when they stand up for what they believe in. Dr. King’s message of nonviolence and civil rights continues to resonate with people all over the world, and
Every year can bring with it life-changing events, economic struggles, unexpected sicknesses, or even those tiny moments that become the biggest memories of that year. At ADRA, our mission is our purpose—to serve humanity so all can live as God intended. We respond to new crises that impact the most
Rebecca knows the impact of your support. Her role with ADRA sometimes takes her around the world and into communities where she gets to see how your donations and prayers are changing lives! Recently, she traveled to Kenya where we talked to her about the projects she visited and the
Providing quality food for all is the mission of The Social Food Truck, ADRA’s innovative and award-winning social enterprise in Belgium. By day, the food truck serves delicious vegetarian street food to the general population of Brussels. By night, it seeks out the city’s most vulnerable and ensures they are
A lot goes into ADRA’s Gift Catalog every year: a lot of work, a lot of love, and a lot of good things. It’s true! With every gift you give through our gift catalog, you are making good things possible around the world for people in poverty, communities in crisis,
Khan’s peaceful life ended the day a rocket blew his home apart. Months later, the Afghan father was living in a tent with the surviving members of his family. He told ADRA’s team that the tragedy they now faced was hunger. The fact is when a crisis disappears from the
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