Pakistan—More people may die of hunger, cold and injuries from the recent earthquake that rocked Pakistan than were killed in the initial quake itself, relief officials say. The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) continues to assist earthquake survivors in Pakistan, allocating additional funding in response to the perilous conditions in Kashmir. According to Conrad Vine, acting country director for ADRA Pakistan, the greatest needs are for winterized tents, blankets, jerry cans and kerosene heaters to fight the extreme cold. To assist in ADRA’s response to the South Asia earthquake, call 1.800.424.ADRA (2372) or donate online to ADRA’s South Asia Earthquake Fund at www.adra.org.

Malaysia—Six children ranging from one to 10 years old underwent successful heart surgery at Penang Adventist Hospital through the Operation HeartBeat Project.  The project, which received additional funding from Wong Keng Fei Fund and the Heart Patients’ Fund, gives free surgeries to children from less fortunate families. The project has made a national impact, with beneficiaries coming from all over the country.

Brazil—Seven hundred Seventh-day Adventist Churches are participating in an on-going series of evangelism meetings in Curitiba. The events are also being carried via satellite live over the Hope Channel, by radio over Novo Tempo, through the Internet, and by several local cable stations. The meetings were advertised on billboards, in newspapers, television and radio.

United States—A U.S. $45,750 grant from the United States Ambassador’s Fund for Cultural Preservation will help Andrews University archaeologists restore a historical Byzantine church and Roman plaza in Jordan. The Ambassador’s Fund awards projects that protect sites and artifacts of historical or cultural importance in countries in need of assistance. Andrews was one of two archaeological projects in Jordan to receive the award at a special signing ceremony on Sept. 29.

Venezuela—Over the summer hundreds of youth started reading “Messages to Young People,” by Ellen G. White, one of the founders of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. They will be quizzed on the book and 15 young people from all over the Inter-American region of the church will advance to the grand finale to compete for prizes that include: a full scholarship to Montemorelos University or Northern Caribbean University, as well as paid expenses to the region’s Leadership and Prayer Conference to be held in Miami, in February 2006.  The final competition will be on Dec. 3 and will be streamed live through the Internet from Venezuela.

Australia—Jon Johanson received the world’s highest aviation award, the gold medal from the Federation Aeronautique Internationale (FAI), in Paris in October. Johanson, a member of the Adventist Church, received the award in recognition for his outstanding contribution to the development of aeronautics in sport aviation. He holds 48 FAI records.