Gifts To Church Aid Appeal

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31677, 13 May 1968, Page 14

Gifts To Church Aid Appeal

Congregations of member churches and individuals had given $llB,OOO towards the National Council of Churches Inter-Church Aid Christmas Appeal so far this year, the aid secretary (Mr F. G. Heard) said yesterday.

i An almost identical amount I had been raised at the same time last year and although it was doubtful if the target of $160,000 would be reached, the amount collected should not be far short, he said. Of the money sent in so far, some $115,000 had already been sent overseas, including emergency aid to Vietnam, hurricane relief in Niue Island, relief of distress in the Middle East, and to support World Council of Churches projects in 36 countries, he said.

“During the current year we have added five more skilled fraternal workers, bringing our total overseas to 21. Our nurses and administrator in Vietnam have had a really tough time,” he said. The council is seeking a bookkeeper - administrator, nurses and social workers for work in Vietnam. They will work under the Asian Christian Service,

which represents New Zealand, Australia, India. Burma, Ceylon and the Phillippines. The bookkeeper-administra-tor was a key man said Mr F G. Heard, inter-church aid secretary for the council, yesterday. Mr S. Smith, a Christchurch accountant, will retire from the position in July after a year’s service. His duties include handling monetary and material contributions for the Asian Christian Service, which gives relief for refugees. Mr Smith was the only applicant for the post last year. If the applicant had family commitments, he was paid an adequate salary, said Mr Heard. But if he was single, the right person was not worried about money—he did not go there for that, he said. The bookkeeper-administra-tor would work in Saigon for at least a year. The national council has two nurses working in Vietnam; one is due to return in October, and the other in January, after two years service each. If more than two volunteered for service, they would be readily accepted, said Mr Heard. They would be expected to work In Vietnam for two years. Nurses are paid SUSIOO a month as “pocket money.” Two graduate teachers for work in Western Samoa, teachers in chemistry, applied psychology and zoology for Pakistan, and a teacher of English as a foreign language in Iran are also needed.