The Virginian-Pilot 
                             THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Wednesday, July 27, 1994               TAG: 9407270383
SECTION: LOCAL                    PAGE: B3   EDITION: FINAL 
SOURCE: STAFF REPORT 
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH                     LENGTH: Short :   26 lines

GROUP PLANS TO SEND 2ND MEDICAL TEAM TO HELP RWANDANS

Operation Blessing, a humanitarian organization founded by religious broadcaster Pat Robertson, is planning to send a second medical team to Goma, Zaire, this week to help Rwandan refugees.

The organization is looking for 80 to 100 medical personnel to volunteer for a one- to two-week mission tentatively scheduled to depart for Africa on Friday. Volunteers must be able to administer injections and start IVs. Operation Blessing will pay all travel expenses.

A seven-member Operation Blessing medical team that left Norfolk on Saturday is in Zaire administering aid to thousands of Rwandan refugees.

The biggest challenge today is to treat refugees suffering from cholera, said Dr. Paul Williams, Operation Blessing's medical director.

Physicians, nurses and paramedics who would like to volunteer should call the Operation Blessing medical hot line at 579-3650. by CNB