Pat Robertson's Aid Organization Is Misunderstood

The comments made by a United Nations official regarding the humanitarian efforts of religious broadcaster Pat Robertson are offensive and off base (``Aid Givers are Troubled by the West's New Neglect of Civil, Ethnic Conflicts,'' Feb. 22).

There is simply no factual basis for the comments made by Santiago Romero-Perez of the UN High Commission for Refugees, who is quoted as saying: ``These fly-by-night operations that come in, the Pat Robertsons that use the media and have their own TV show, can be a problem.''

Operation Blessing, a humanitarian organization founded by Pat Robertson in 1978, has provided assistance to more than 114 million people worldwide in 70 countries during the last 17 years. Operation Blessing - which does generate financial support for its humanitarian work from broadcasts on Mr. Robertson's daily television program, ``The 700 Club'' - has provided $93 million in direct aid over the years.

Our medical teams responded with love and compassion providing hands-on treatment to the refugees in Rwanda.

That is the mission of Operation Blessing: to help meet both the physical and spiritual needs of a hurting world. Robert W. Fanning Virginia Beach, Va. Chief Operating Officer Operation Blessing