Sir, - This week a GOAL team will fly into famine-stricken southern Sudan bringing 11.5 metric tonnes of food aid especially designed to nourish starving children.
As soon as the plane lands, people will begin arriving at the airport from the surrounding countryside, walking barefoot, carrying their children with them. Word will get around fast, as it always does when people are starving and food arrives.
Within hours will come the moment the GOAL team dread, when the food runs out. They will have to begin explaining to these people that the food they have is not enough for everybody. They will have to explain that they cannot promise to bring more.
Without donations from the public, GOAL will not be able to send more food to southern Sudan. I am appealing to the Irish people to support GOAL's effort to alleviate the suffering of the victims of this famine. - Yours, etc., John O'Shea
GOAL, PO Box 19, Dun Laoghaire, Co Dublin.