Risks for World Vision

Press, 2 June 1984, Page 9

Risks for World Vision

The danger faced by World Vision workers working in the Middle East was highlighted three weeks ago with the kidnapping, in Lebanon, of a programme director. The man is still missing. Mr Leonard Rodgers, the American in charge of World Vision’s regional office in Cyprus, acknowledges the danger but says, “The worse a place is the more good we can do.” Mr Rodgers is in New Zealand this week to address support groups and explain what World Vision is doing in the Middle Elast. He is familiar with the region, having lived in Beirut for 11 years, working as a Youth for Christ missionary in Lebanon. His interest in young people led him to the World Vision organisation. The Cyprus regional office, with 20 full-time staff, is responsible for 22

countries in the area, some more dangerous and unsettled than others.

The projects undertaken in these countries range from caring for children, 8000 in nine different countries, to development programmes.

Among the latter is a project with the rubbish collectors of Cairo. The rubbish collection in the city of 12 million people is done by donkey cart by people who have traditionally done the job. They live in cities among the rubbish they have collected and the rubbish itself is their only pay. “We are trying to' make the collection more human. The people have a high infant mortality rate and health problems because of the rubbish,” Mr Rodgers said. Health care for children, education programmes, and literacy are projects which World Vision is also work-, ing on. In each country the organisation tries to work with the government — in many cases it was impossible to introduce any programme without govern-

ment co-operation, Mr Rodgers said. Programme workers were usually native to the country in which they were working, although the directors might be foreigners. Mr Rodgers would like to see more permanent offices established in the Middle East. Cyprus has the only permanent office; the others are relief offices or programme offices. World Vision has been helping to bring together groups of Muslim, Druze and Christian civic leaders to talk about peace. Mr Rodgers believes much more could be done in this area. “World Vision also has a lot on management to offer for institutions in caring for people,” he said. Mr Rodgers believes World Vision can be an important catalyst in bringing peace to the Middle