ANR Bulletin
Adventist News Review
Trans-European Division of the
Seventh-day Adventist Church

6 April 2005

In this Issue:

* Sudan: Abducted ADRA workers released
* Slovenia: Adventist doctor named 'Paediatrician of the Year'
* TED Prayer Guide for week 10 ? 16 April


ABDUCTED ADRA WORKERS RELEASED

DARFUR, SUDAN [ANR] ? Three workers employed by the Adventist
Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) who were abducted 16 December
2004 on their way to West Darfur, Sudan, have been released and are
safely back home with their families.

The three men, all Sudanese nationals, were abducted in Labado while
en route from Khartoum, the Sudanese capital. They were held in the
Darfur region along with equipment and supplies they were taking to
West Darfur to construct water wells to benefit 80,000 Internally
Displaced People (IDPs) and host community members. Most of the
project equipment has also been returned to ADRA's Sudan office.

Byron Scheuneman, ADRA senior vice president and chief financial
officer, who earlier had made a public appeal for the release of the
workers said, "The lengthy detention of our skilled and committed
workers has been a detriment to ADRA's assistance programs in an area
hard-hit by civil unrest, and is of concern to the wider
international community. We're grateful they were returned unharmed,
but this ordeal has certainly been arduous."

ADRA is especially thankful for the assistance of the Italian Special
Envoy, Barbara Contini, who spearheaded negotiations to secure the
successful release of the three workers.

"We are very happy to be back with our families, and we just want to
spend time with them for a while," says Said Saad Mohmed, one of the
abducted workers, expressing the thoughts and feelings of all three.
Mohmed has worked with ADRA Sudan for 16 years and is a valued member
of the well drilling crew.

Despite the challenges of operating in a high-risk environment, ADRA
plans to continue its 25 years of humanitarian work in Sudan. Present
in more than 120 countries worldwide, ADRA provides community
development and disaster relief without regard to political or
religious association, age, gender or ethnicity.

[ADRA/ANN Staff/ANR]


ADVENTIST DOCTOR NAMED 'PAEDIATRICIAN OF THE YEAR'

LJUBLJANA, SLOVENIA [ANR] ? A Seventh-day Adventist Church member in
Slovenia was named paediatrician of the year on 31 March. Doctor
Lidija Odorcic was honoured for her work with the title
'paediatrician of the year 2005'. Odorcic received the recognition
with three other doctors at a special banquet, held in Ljubljana
castle.

'Viva', one of the national health magazines, has for nine years
organized a campaign entitled 'My Doctor'. People are requested to
place their vote on local radio stations or newspapers from the
beginning of the year until the middle of March. This year 1535
doctors received votes from their patients.

Surprised and happy, Odorcic said, "This recognition is not a
professional award. I can rather describe it as a reward for good
communication with my patients. I'm honoured with it because it is a
sign that my patients are satisfied." One of the organizers
commented, "This recognition is an expression of thanks and respect
for good work, self-sacrifice, kindness and philanthropy.

Odorcic, with her husband who is also a doctor, live in the town of
Kocevje which has a population of about 9000 people. Both finished
Adventist secondary school in Marusevec and then went on to study
medicine. They have two sons.

Zmago Godina, president of the Seventh-day Adventist church in
Slovenia says, "It is not the first time an Adventist doctor has
gained the top award in this campaign. Six years ago another female
doctor Mila Saftic was named 'Doctor of the Year 1999'. Then the
results were announced on the evening before 'International Health'
day by Milan Kucan, president of the Republic of Slovenia who
personally congratulated her." Godina continued, "Ten percent of our
conference membership are professional health workers. It is good
when they are recognised for their professional work."

The Odorcic's family moved to the town of Kocevje 20 years ago
although at that time there were no other Adventist members there.
Godina says, "Thanks to their impact on the community we opened a
church there in June 2002. They are not just excellent at their work;
they also help their fellow citizens in different ways; to find
health and also to love Christ as their Saviour. Nothing preaches
like kindness."

Slovenia, which has a population of 2 million, has more than 500
baptized Adventists worshiping in 13 churches.

[Zvonko Virtic/ANR]


TED PRAYER GUIDE FOR WEEK 10 ? 16 APRIL 2005

ST ALBANS, ENGLAND [ANR] ? Paul was a great officer in the army of
the Lord, a man of intellect and influence but he never stopped being
a foot soldier who constantly witnessed through one-to-one contact.
His methodology included house-to-house visitation (Acts 20:20).

Today, the church has more tools than ever for accomplishing its
mission to the world but personal faith-sharing still tops the list
when it comes to effectiveness.

For every Christian book published for the unconverted, hundreds of
books are written for church members. Why?

Because religious publications don't sell well in the secular book
stores, books about God's love for all people need dedicated heavenly
ambassadors to maximise their distribution.

Thirty-seven thousand church members around the world are already
participating in this ministry.

If you would like to join them, please contact your local field
headquarters.

Prayer Requests:

1. That God will increase his army of literature evangelists around
the world.
2. That many more (in addition to the 67,000 literature evangelist
contacts who joined the church in 2003) will find their way to
Christ.
3. That more culturally-sensitive materials can be prepared so as to
enhance the communicational effectiveness of literature.

[John Arthur/ANR]


---------------------------------------------------------------------------
ANR Staff: Miroslav Pujic, news director, Beverly Coysten, editor
ANR, 119 St Peter's Street, St Albans, Herts, AL1 3EY, England
E-mail: anr@ted-adventist.org
Website: www.ted-adventist.org

ANR (Adventist News Review) is a news and information bulletin issued
by the communication department of the Seventh-day Adventist Church
in the Trans-European Division. You are free to re-print any portion
of the bulletin without need for special permission. However, we
kindly request that you identify ANR whenever you publish these
materials.