Following is a letter containing interesting and vivid insights to the hardships ahead for a whole island of people, including our brethren. The storm is past but the difficulties for the inhabitants of Dominica have just begun.
Dear Mr. Halford:
I intend writing you a letter from which I am sure you can't find humor. On returning to Dominica on August 27th, news of a hurricane coming was being spread. By 12:00 noon August 29th the storm was in full force in Dominica. But before I tell you more of the storm, be it known that all members of God's Church here are alive and safe!
The island of 80,000 people, 298 square miles (very mountainous) and economy 95% agriculture, was hit for five hours by winds of up to 150 MPH from hurricane David.
The aftermath leaves Dominica in a state of disaster. Agriculture is 90% destroyed and most industries are related to agriculture. Internal telecommunications have become non-existent, with electricity supplies in the same position. I live 14 miles from the capital, and am not looking forward to electricity in my village for two years.
Hospitals, hotels, schools and churches are in the same position of ruin and destruction.
More than half the population is homeless and some 40 people died in the storm. In some villages there is a 50% complete destruction of houses. Generally, most roofs are gone. One of the brethren lost her house and shop completely.
Our evergreen forests have become a thing of the past. Trees that could not fall are completely defoliated and debranched.
One American observer thought it better to evacuate the island in view of massive sums it will need to bring the country back to where it was.
The immediate problem of Dominica after the storm is that of feeding itself. With the economy and agriculture destroyed, we are at the mercy of international food aid for at least the next six months till some crops and farms can be rehabilitated, much aid is flowing in from outside presently, but all who can are leaving the island, especially women and children are doing so. The remaining schools not destroyed or made roofless are refugee camps.
My wife and children have been sent to St. Lucia, my wife's homeland, but I have to stay to face the arduous road ahead, of national reconstruction. The seminar in Tobago had surely made and left me better prepared for this.
I hope that the same hurricane did not adversely affect the Work and brethren in USA.
Please ask your Church area to pray for and remember the Dominican brethren. The time ahead can be very gloomy and discouraging for some. But with God's help, nothing is impossible.
In Christian fellowship, Chrisford Vidal
United Kingdom
On August tenth the Work made front-page headlines in a U.K. newspaper for what is believed to be the very first time. The paper in question was the Exeter Express and Echo which has a readership of almost 100,000 in the South West of England.
The article, which was naturally far from complimentary, had been prompted by the distribution of 10,000 brochures in the town promoting The PLAIN TRUTH. Two dissident former members took the opportunity to "warn" readers of the evils that would befall them if they became involved with this "American-based church." Our pastor in the area, Mr. John Jewell, immediately contacted the paper with the true facts in the case and as a result a more favourable article appeared the following week (this time only on page six!). We also took advantage of the publicity generated by the story by placing a quarter-page advertisement with the paper very similar to the one used in response to the current legal battle in the States ("Just What is the Worldwide Church of God?").
August registered an excellent increase in mail income of 39% over the same month last year. The year-to-date rise is 23% (compared with an inflation rate which is now hitting 15%). Total literature mailed was encouragingly high for the time of year — 27,477 items for all the areas serviced from Radlett.
S.E.P. was again considered an overwhelming success by over 2000 teenagers from all parts of the British Isles and Europe who attended the camp. One headline in the local press called the Loch Lomond site a "haven for the youngsters," and another report referred to the venture as probably "unique of its kind and scope in Britain."
A total of 3,700 are expected to attend the four Feast sites in Britain and Ireland this year — 1,600 at Prestatyn (North Wales), 1,500 at Camber Sands, 350 at Edinburgh and 250 at Kenmare (Southern Ireland). In addition, there will be English-language sites in Hirshals, Denmark (120) and Jerusalem, Israel (300). Five sites on the African mainland and one in Mauritius will cater to around 530 Feastgoers.
Canada
We are happy and thankful to once again report a 25% increase in income over August of last year. Combining the year-to-date increase of twelve percent with an eight percent figure on expenses, we are moving into the winter months with confidence despite higher expenditures on advertising and media.
The "World Tomorrow" radio program is currently aired on 65 Canadian stations. Next month, we will add four additional stations giving increased coverage to Saskatchewan. Radio responses continue to be of high quality, demonstrating the powerful impact of Mr. Armstrong's messages.
Newsstand distribution now stands at 350,000 (50,000 of which is in the French language). Most of the major cities and towns in Canada now have some newsstands carrying The PLAIN TRUTH. As responses and finances justify, we will continue to develop the distribution. We are awaiting approval from some major chain stores which, if obtained, could boost the circulation by several thousand almost overnight.
Asia
Plain Truth subscribers for Malaysia exceeded the 10,000 mark this month with 10,047 now on the mailing list.
Final preparations are being made for the Feast of Tabernacles in the following cities throughout Asia: Colombo, Sri Lanka; Pune (Poona), India; Kya In Village, Burma; and Penang, Malaysia. The anticipated number of people meeting together for the Feast in these areas, God willing, will be about 375.
Australia
Our Plain Truth mailing list is well on its way to our goal of 100,000 for Australia, and 35,000 for Asia. We now have 57 churches, an increase of nine this past year. Mail is up 50% over last year, and the volume of literature being sent out to our readers has increased by 56%. We anticipate we will have mailed out around 2,000,000 items of literature by the end of this year.
Next year it is planned for the Australian Plain Truth mailing list to increase to 120,000, and the Asian P.T. list to rise to a maximum of 40,000. This means we will mail out, including the two Plain Truth mailing lists, an estimated three and a quarter million items of literature — some six times the volume sent in 1976!
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
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