SILVER SPRING, Md.--On Wednesday, September 30, the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) marked 20 years of service in Colombia, a date that was celebrated during an event held in Bogota, which was attended by government officials, domestic and international supporters, and staff.

"I would like to offer my gratitude to all those that have made today possible," said Mario Ochoa, executive vice president for ADRA International, speaking at the event. "We are nothing more than heirs of those who had the vision, and combined their efforts to create the opportunities that we celebrate today."

Ochoa presented ADRA Colombia with a plaque on behalf of ADRA International to commemorate 20 years of life saving work.

Among the guests were Colombian senator Charles Schultz; Martha Yolanda Gomez of the International Organization of Migration, an inter-governmental organization that partners with ADRA Colombia in support of Colombia's displaced populations; and officials of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Colombia.

"As an agency, ADRA has done much through its work to meet the needs of Colombia's most vulnerable populations," said Eliseo Bustamante, ADRA Colombia's board chair. "Their commitment to the people of Colombia has made a significant impact on the lives of the people that it serves."

ADRA Colombia is best known for its work with displaced populations, as well as other vulnerable communities, including low-income rural families, and communities that have been affected by a major disaster.

One of ADRA Colombia's most recognized projects is JUNTOS, a poverty reduction project implemented in collaboration with the Colombian government that is improving the quality of life for low-income and internally displaced families. By its completion, ADRA will have benefitted more than 26,000 families in the northern region of the country.

"We are very happy to be celebrating 20 years of service to the people of Colombia," said Gabriel Villarreal, country director for ADRA Colombia. "This event was a complete success, and gave us an opportunity to look back on all that we have accomplished, motivating us to strive for an even brighter tomorrow."

ADRA Colombia, which first began operating in 1989, is active throughout the country, working primarily in the areas of Food Security, Economic Development, Primary Health, Education, and Emergency Management.

ADRA is a non-governmental organization present in 125 countries providing sustainable community development and disaster relief without regard to political or religious association, age, gender, race or ethnicity.

For more information about ADRA, visit www.adra.org.